


On its Way to Sunrise

by irish_gold



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-09-22 13:21:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9609227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irish_gold/pseuds/irish_gold
Summary: Niall Horan is a single father who works at a shitty gas station and Harry’s the cute professor who comes in for coffee.or;just an excuse to write single father niall





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've not written anything in a while, so I do apologize if its bad. however, I hope you enjoy. x

Distressed and depressed, the only thing Niall could hold on to was the constant routine of waking up at five in the morning to take the empty fifty line bus to the middle-of-nowhere-gas station he called a job. Waking up at the crack of dawn to the sound of a blaring alarm clock was a constant reminder to him that reality was setting in. 

 

Everyday for five days a week Niall would work from five-thirty to eight in a run down petrol station with cheap gas that stunk the area around it. 

 

This Thursday morning was no different. Waking up that morning Niall’s head was banging to sound of the alarm,  _ fuck I shouldn’t have stayed up late yesterday,  _ he thought to himself as he got up from bed. Rushing to turn off the alarm before it woke someone, Niall flinched as his bare feet hit the cold wooden floors.

 

Slowly, he made his way out of bed, pushing the thin covers to the other side of the bed, he’d make the bed later when his head wasn’t pounding to the same beat of the now silent alarm. Getting out of bed was the least hard step of them. Making his way to the small bathroom just down that hall, he narrowly avoided any lingering toys or legos that may injure. 

 

He continued on autopilot. The first few minutes of being alert were long gone now, running on an hour of sleep Niall brushed his teeth and pissed through sheer recall memory of doing it every single day. 

 

Trekking his way back to his room, Niall stepped over to dodge stepping the small tower of legos that were placed right on the floor of the hall. “Crap,” He muttered under his breath after he landed on a creaky wooden band. Side stepping the creaky wooden plank Niall tried to continue on his path back to his room without making a sudden noise. 

  
  


“Papa?” A drowsy squeaky voice called from the room over. The loud patter of tiny feet were instantaneous. The white-painted peeling door was open with a speed that no seven year old should have at five ten in the morning. Eoghan’s eyes were barely open, just a tiny slit of opening gave Niall a glimpse of Eoghan’s tired blue eyes. If it were any other time (read: not five in the morning), Niall would’ve been amused at the bird’s nest that was Eoghan’s dark brown. 

 

Taking two steps towards the door, Niall extended his hand as he reached Eoghan, “Hey bud? DId I wake ya? DIdn’t mean to pup.” He whispered quietly, if he sped up the looming conversation Eoghan was bound to start, Niall knew he could get him back to bed in less than five minutes. 

 

Nodding his head Eoghan nodded as he mumbled, “It's okay Papa, I  wanted to see you before you left.” 

 

Rubbing soothing circles on the back of Eoghan’s hand Niall hummed before quietly saying, “Oh, bud. Let’s get you back in bed, huh?” Without giving Eoghan a chance to respond Niall pulled the sleepy seven year old back into the dark room. Navigating around the room, he avoided any of Eoghan’s loud toys that would wake him up even more. He made a mental note to remind Eoghan to actually  _ put away  _ his toys, not place them where he last played with them

 

Pulling Eoghan back to bed, Niall started to tuck him in. Pushing the covers up and tucking them around his little body. “All nice and warm huh?” He whispered.

 

Nodding his head Eoghan responded with yawn, breaking any chance he could have had to speak to Niall. 

 

“All right bud, go back to sleep. Mrs. Martha will be here when you wake up again.” Niall said before bending down to kiss Eoghan’s forehead.

 

“Night bud.” He mumbled as he tracked his way out of the room. Closing the door, NIall left the vicinity of his son’s comfort to get ready for the start of his day. 

 

He was out and about in the cold not even ten minutes later. The fifty line bus was much the same as it was yesterday, empty except for the lone early riser of a woman and her accompanied friend. The only difference was the driver sat in the front, eyes drifting closed every few seconds due to the early morning. It was clear the driver was new because of every halting stop that caused Niall to lurch forward from the force. 

 

And any thought of getting a few minutes of sleep was gone after the driver came to another breaking stop behind a grey van for the third time. Hearing the indistinct sound of the other passenger’s irritation, NIall couldn’t help but get annoyed at the driver’s recklessness. 

 

“Finally,” Niall muttered as he stood up to get off the bus later adding a “thank you!” over his shoulder to the drowsy driver. 

 

The thin black coat on him was no match for the chilling windiness of the morning. He couldn’t get to the gas station quick enough. 

 

Setting up didn’t take too long, pushing a few buttons to turn on the lights and flicking a lever to turn on other appliances was enough for Niall to call it setting up. He busied himself with making a coffee, displeased when the coffee came out lukewarm instead of its normal scalding hot temperature. Placing his newly made drink on the counter in front of him as he sat on the stool setup he took a glance around the store looking for any misplaced items that could take up his time. 

 

“Nothing new,” He spat out before taking a sip from the warm cup. Of course nothing was misplaced, that would require actual clients to be coming in and out of the petrol station. And that was something that never happened. Shaking his thoughts away from spiraling into a bitter haze of ‘how the fuck is this place still open?’, Niall took another sip of the cheap coffee and mentally prepared himself for another day of a solitary station. He fumbled in his seat and decided to take out his book from inside his rucksack that was placed near him. Opening the book, Nial hoped he could get some studying done. 

 

_

 

Three hours later and another pounding headache, Niall was ready to call it quits. He had spent the last one hundred and eighty minutes recounting the change in the register and counting the time each light flickered after the latter, his book lay flat open on the counter, he hadn’t read for that long. 

 

It wasn’t till he finished counting the singles in the till that he heard the brazen jingle of the bell over the door. Fixing his posture from his earlier shlump, Niall watched as the stranger passed around the aisles collecting a few items here and then, suddenly coming to a stop in front of the counter where Niall was set up behind. 

 

_ Oh,  _ Niall thought with a masked surprise,  _ he’s attractive.  _ And truly he was, the straggler was what Niall’s mom used to call “Tall, dark, and fecking hansome”. Green eyes and an utterly sharp jaw, the only thing he had a problem with was the utter mess of a hair the stranger had. It was short, but a seeming awkward cut and short.

 

After ogling at the stranger a few seconds too long, the stranger cleared his throat. “Uh… Hey.” The stranger said.

 

_ Handsome and a killer voice, nice _ , Niall thought again.  It wasn’t often he encountered good looking strangers with an added  _ hot  _ voice. 

 

Pulling himself from his thoughts Niall grabbed on to the items the stranger placed on the counter. A pregnant thick silence overcame the two, the only sound coming for the irritatingly loud  _ bleep  _ of the scanner. As NIall was scanning, the stranger glanced at the book on the counter, then quickly looked back up at Niall. After ringing up the items Niall cleared his throat before saying, “Twenty thirty.” 

 

The stranger pulled out his wallet, clumsily taking out a sleek black credit card, before swiping the card on the tiny automated machine he said, “Hey, uh, do you guys sell coffee?”

 

Pointing at the aisle to the far left Niall responded with a rushed, “Yeah, just over there to your right.” 

 

The stranger nodded and threw a quiet, “I’ll be back.” over his shoulder. 

 

An awkward silence fell over them as Niall watched the stranger struggle to get the lever to let out the coffee. After watching him struggle for a bit too long, Niall had some mercy on the poor bloke and said loudly over the counter, “Pull on the lever a bit and then push it down.” 

 

The stranger continued on his quest to dominate the lever, but it did not budge one bit. 

 

Contemplating for a second Niall jumped off the stool and went to help the stranger out. “Here, let me do it.” Niall muttered quietly, pushing the stranger out of his way. 

 

The stranger gladly pulled his hands from the lever and threw his hands in the air, “Gladly.” 

 

It didn’t take Niall a second to start the machine up, pulling and then pushing the lever down the dark brown liquid exited from the machine with minimal splashing. “Aha!” The stranger exclaimed. They watched together as the paper cup filled with coffee. “That’s enough, please.” The stranger added as the cup was filled a little under the brim.

 

“Ah, thank you!” He said as Niall handed him the cup. 

 

Niall shrugged before saying, “The caps and sugar packets are over there.” he glanced over to the small black shelves balanced on the counter. 

 

The stranger nodded his head grinning and went over to place a single black cap on the coffee. As they made their way to the till Niall said, “Black and no sugar, at eight am? Interesting choice I have to say.” Behind him the stranger snorted and took a sip of the coffee, making a satisfied sound after drinking.

 

“Wouldn’t want it any other way. Milk and sugar just ruin it.” 

 

Niall shook his head and rung up the coffee, “That’ll be twenty-three forty-five.” 

 

This time the stranger swiped the card and entered his code. Pressing yes to the question ‘Cash Back’, Niall gave the stranger a crisped ten dollar bill before saying, “Enjoy your bitter coffee.” 

 

The stranger placed the ten dollar bill into the jar beside the till and smiled (dimples and all in full sight)  at Niall before saying, “Thanks. For the coffee and stuff.” the stranger turned around, coffee and grey bag in hand exiting to the sound of the jingling bell. 

 

“Cute.” 

 

_

 

A couple of hours later, Niall had encountered three more customers, two of whom were old men with greased back grey hair that couldn’t help but stare at Niall’s ass as he pulled out two packs of cigarettes from the glass case behind him.

 

“You ain’t gonna ask us for some I.D., doll?” The shorter of the two asked, grinning as his friend chuckled into his sweaty palm. 

 

Placing the two packs next to the Red Bull drinks, NIall muttered, “You two fat pigs can’t be younger than fifty?” he started scanning the items, hoping his comment would turn off the old twats. 

 

But to his bitter luck, they continued on. This time the taller one said, “Eh, feisty one Jerry? Fortunately for you, I like ‘em feisty and with a great butt.” he winked at Niall.

 

Ignoring the comment Niall finished scanning the items and gave the old men their change. “Choke.” He said under his breath as the two men exited with matching ugly grins directed straight at Niall. 

 

The third customer was quick and easy, buying a single bottle of coke and off on his merry way the next instant. By time the third customer had left Niall decided it was time for his break. 

 

Hopping off his stool, Niall changed the open sign on the door to ‘Sorry, we’re on a break” and went back to the counter. Taking a green apple from the pile as he passed the pile.

 

Looking at the time on his phone, he guessed Mrs. Martha and Eoghan were probably back home from school. Niall quickly dialled the number and took a bite from the apple. 

 

Three dial tones later Niall’s left ear was ringing after Eoghan yelled, “Hello Papa!” 

 

Recovering quickly from the response Niall responded, “Hey bud? How was school?” 

 

“It was okay. It was actually boring, my teacher made me sit in the corner again.”

 

Furrowing his brows, Niall spoke with his ‘I’m-a-stern-Papa-voice’, “Eoghan Robert Horan, why were you put on the corner again?”

 

Obviously noting his mistake Eoghan began to make some weird noises, “Oh no Papa, you seem to be breaking up. Call… You… Laterrrrr.” he said before hanging up. Niall didn’t bother calling back, deciding to entertain the boy he exited the phone app and sat for the next thirty minutes playing virtual solitair.

 

_

 

The end of his shift couldn’t come quick enough, by eight Niall was ready to up and leave. Of course he shouldn’t--couldn’t leave the store unattended, so he waited impatiently for Vicky, his sixty year old co-worker, to arrive for her shift. 

 

After waiting for a ten minutes Niall sat back down on the stool and placed his rucksack on the floor, leaning against the leg of the stool. He was going to be here a while. 

 

He knew he shouldn’t get annoyed, especially not at Vicky, the poor woman drove herself to work and God only knows how bad her eyesight it. But he couldn’t help it, ready to return home to see his troublemaker of a son and rest for the night was all Niall wanted right now. 

 

After a few moments of Niall sighing and scoffing the bell jingled much to his delight, however the sight of who entered shut down all hope of getting home in time to tuck Eoghan into bed. 

 

The ‘Tall, dark, and fecking handsome’ stranger from before was back. This time with a grey coat over his body. He greeted Niall with a small smile, dimples still one full sight, and went straight to the coffee machine. He fumbled around with the lever before sighing in defeat and placing his hands down to his side. 

 

Niall snorted from his place behind the counter before mockingly saying, “Need some help over there?” 

 

The stranger turned around and tilted his head before saying with fake enthusiasm, “Only if you’re so kind.”

 

Niall chuckled and went over the machine, taking the cup from the stranger before pushing the lever and getting the liquid to come out. 

 

He waited for the stranger to say stop before giving the cup back. “Thanks,” The stranger said, “You are so very kind.”

 

NIall laughed before going back to ring the coffee, “You know, I have to say, for a petrol station; the coffee ain’t too bad.” The stranger said.

 

“Oh, really? Well I’ll let the coffee company know how much you enjoy their cheap coffee.”

 

The stranger laughed, “Thanks.” he said before bidding Niall a good night and walking straight out of the shop. 

 

Not five minutes later, Vicky came barreling into the store and took Niall’s place behind the counter, not before shooing and pushing him out. 

 

After a bit of insistence Niall’s out the door and fast walking straight to the bus stop. 

 

_ 

 

After arriving home, he was greeted with the sight of an annoyed looking older woman, Mrs. Martha. Her arms were crossed over her chest and lips pursed out, she stood outside the door, looking as if she had been waiting for him for a long while. Niall knew how late he was, the clock in his phone reminded him of the hour and a half he lost from waiting at the bus stop, missing his usual bus by just a seconds. He rushed over to her, preparing a long speech of apology, only coming to a stop when the older lady placed her hand out and closed her eyes before saying.

 

Shaking her head she said, “Look, Niall, you’re lucky I like you kid. If it were my daughter that left me with her kid for too long I’d be chewing her out. But I know you, you come from far away so I’ll spare you tonight.” 

 

Niall smiled and began to profusely thank her, “Thank you so much Mrs. Martha, I promise it won’t happen again!”

 

She smiled at him before saying with enthusiasm, “Eoghan’s out like a light,” seeing Niall’s hesitant expression she continued, “I checked on him twice already and he’s still sound asleep.” He decided not to question her and thanked her again for her services. 

 

Entering the apartment he went straight to Eoghan’s room to check if the little brat was actually asleep. Walking down the hall he kicked the small ball into the open door of the bathroom and hung his jacket up on the doorknob of the hall closet. He wasn’t going to open, not when he knew Eoghan probably stuffed all his old toys in the closet (he thought NIall wouldn’t notice). 

 

By the off chance Eoghan was actually asleep, NIall open the door slowly, the door only emitting a small creaky sound. It was the quietest the door would get whilst being open. The room was completely dark, save for the small night light shaped like a star, pushed into the socket under the bedside table. 

 

Eoghan’s head was pushed under his pillow, his little mouth hanging open and his left leg was bare out of the covers. Making his way to the bed, Niall noticed his little hand twitching where it was placed in a fist right under his chin. Niall sat on the edge of the bed. Waiting quietly for Eoghan to move.

 

The wait wasn’t long, of course the seven year old couldn’t keep still while feigning sleep. As expected, Eoghan peaked an eye open and instantly shut them when he saw his Papa staring right at him. “Aha!” Niall exclaimed when he caught Eoghan. 

 

He dug his hands into Eoghan’s sides and started tickling him, laughing as Eoghan tried to escape his grasp, pleading Papa to  _ p-please Pa--Papa.  _ After a few minutes of Eoghan’s shrieks NIall let up. 

 

Eoghan smiled up at him and said, “Papa you woke me up!” 

 

Making a mocking surprised face Niall exclaimed, “Oh really? Well can you ever forgive me for waking the prince up?”

 

Eoghan giggled into his hands and Niall took the opportunity to tickle the boy again. 

 

“I won’t let you up until you say ‘you’re the best papa in the world!’ say it! Or I’ll just have to keep on tickling you!” 

 

Eoghan shrieked and giggled and after a few protests yelled out a, “You’re the best Papa in the world!” 

 

After stopping, Eoghan coughed before sitting up and giving Niall a hug, “I missed you bud.” Niall said into his son’s Space Jam pajamas. After the small cuddle Niall pushed back and gave Eoghan the ‘you’re-in-big-trouble-look’. Eoghan heaved a sigh and looked down at his hands, pouting his lips. 

 

“Eoghan Robert, why were you put in the corner,  _ this time _ ?” Niall asked him.

 

Eoghan took a few seconds before sighing again and slowly looking up at his Papa. “I took Molly’s purple notebook.” He mumbled, then repeated it again when Niall told him to speak up.

 

“And I why did you take her notebook?”

 

“Because she took special pokemon card you gave me, the one that says my name on it!”

 

Sighing Niall said, “Eoghan you know that’s not okay. You can’t take someone’s stuff without asking.”

 

Angry Eoghan exclaimed a protest, “But she took my pokemon card first.” 

 

“Eoghan,” Niall said with a calm voice, Eoghan slumped his shoulders and looked at his hands again with a guilty look, “you know what you did is not okay. So tomorrow you’re going to say sorry for taking her notebook. Understand?” 

 

Without protesting, Eoghan nodded his head. He knew he would get in more trouble if he tried to say something back. “Now I don’t want this to happen again, okay?”

 

Again, Eoghan nodded his head. Content with the minimal response (that was all he was going to get from his stubborn seven year old) he kissed Eoghan’s forehead and started pulling the sheets up.

 

“Let’s get you back in bed, it’s way past your bedtime Oh,” he started to tuck Eoghan in and then said, “and you better go to sleep for real this time. If I catch you playing or pretending to sleep, you’ll be in serious trouble.” Eoghan nodded his head insistently. He knew not to mess with papa after he said that.

 

NIall kissed his forehead again and bid the seven year old a good night. 

 

Walking out of the room he pulled the door closed slowly and then made his way to the small kitchen. He took his rucksack from where he left it and took out a book from inside. .

 

“And now to study.” 

 

_

 

Niall was seventeen when he found out he was going to be a father. It was right after the weekly Sunday Mass, he was lagging behind his parents who were talking amongst the other church goers, boasting about his continuous good grades in his math class (they never mentioned his failing grades in English), when Mary, a lanky tall girl with thin blond hair and belly piercing poking the fabric of her white t-shirt approached him.

 

They hadn’t talked in awhile, not after they fucked at a college party. Mary didn’t go to church, it was common knowledge around everyone in the town and when she approached Niall, more than a few heads turned to stare. Her belly piercing was the cause of a few scoffs from the old ladies standing off to the side (they always knew what went around town). 

 

She walked up to Niall, feigning confidence so well, at the time Niall had believed she was  _ feeling  _ that confident, and quietly said, “We need to talk.” Mary grabbed his hand and started pulling him away from where his parents stood, their earlier conversation about his grades had longed dissolved by now. She didn’t take him too far, settling just down the street from the church, right where her tiny black car was. 

 

Niall didn’t get time to question her before she blurted out an, “I’m pregnant.” 

 

The twisting feeling in his gut started up as quickly as the words were said. His only train of thought was a single mantra of  _ fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.  _

 

Shocked Niall shook his head hurriedly, “You’re fucking joking right?”

 

Mary had sighed, her shoulders slumped from their earlier position of being pushed back. Looking back now, Niall could remember the obvious kinks in Mary’s supposed armor. Her hands had been shaking in the fists she made by her side, her lips twitched the way they would when someone was about ready to cry, and her eyes were filling with tears that he had not noticed then. 

 

Mary stopped him before he could continue, “I’m not Niall. And it's your freaking child-- “

 

He cut her off with a hand extended outward and his voice rising, “We used a condom. I remember. I put on a condom and… And I used it!”

 

Mary rolled her eyes, pushed back her hair and with a shaky voice, ‘You’re so stupid. Condoms don’t alway work.”

 

“That’s not my fucking child.” He spat out, ready to turn away and march back to where the whole congregation stood, still talking about whatever they had before. He was ready to go back and pretend as if this had never happened. 

 

Mary grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, “I haven’t had sex with anyone else since you fucked me at the party, you cunt.” she spat out. Any sign of previous tears were gone. 

 

“I’m supposed to believe that? For all I know, you were probably screwing a guy the day after we did it, you could be a whore--”

 

In a livid state, Mary tightened her grip on Niall’s arm before exclaiming, “If you call me a whore one more time; I’m going to beat your ass.” 

 

Niall had only pulled his arm away and walked back to church. Mary hadn’t said anything to bring him back. 

 

Forty weeks later, the encounter was long forgotten and NIall found himself standing right next to Mary as she held their newborn son, his tiny wails echoing around the room. They were distracting Niall from the impending reality that were his parents, who stood outside the room praying to God to forgive their sinner of a son. 

 

_ 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another day in the Horan household!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys are sweet. hope you enjoy the second chapter. feedback is always appreciated, thank you. x

In his final year of secondary school, Niall was father: first, student: second. Starting his final year a few months after everyone else and father to a two month old baby, his life had changed; no longer a mirror image to the other seventeen year olds riding the bus with him each day.

 

It wasn’t a secret, not by a long shot, by the time he returned to school just about everybody and their moms’ knew. Niall was the “y _oungest Horan boy_ ” who got “ _Sarah’s daughter, Mary,_ pregnant” at seventeen. At Sunday Mass, three weeks after Eoghan’s birth, Niall entered with a sleeping baby and an engraved green bag with Eoghan’s name on it. Head bowed down and a quick pace, he sat beside his family who’d arrived ten minutes before him (they weren’t going to be late just because of Niall) and closed his eyes to pretend he was praying.

 

In reality he was hoping that all the eyes staring at _him_ , would quit it and go back to whatever it was they were doing. He counted to two hundred before he opened his eyes and looked over to his son, still sleeping soundlessly without a single care in the world.

 

He sat there, placed one hand on Eoghan’s chest, feeling the deep rise of his son’s chest as he breathed in deeply. His breathing was sporadic, there was no clear rhythm to his breathing. Two weeks ago, he stared as his new born baby slept, the rising of his chest changed with every breath he took. Niall had worried, scared that his baby was having trouble breathing, a few days later, as he sat in front of the doctor who pulled off Eoghan’s clothes (Niall tried not to flinch as Eoghan screamed his lungs out) he asked shakily, “Is… Is his breathing supposed to… be that deep?” It sounded like a stupid question at first. But the doctor, just hummed and checked over Eoghan’s body once more before turning to Niall, flipping his hand in the air he said, “It’s normal. Don’t worry too much about it son.”

 

The people around him whispered out “ _Amens”,_ Niall opened his eyes and rubbed Eoghan’s small belly. He mentally prepared himself for the three hour ceremony.

 

(Niall left church that day thirty minutes early, ignoring all the pointed stares, with Eoghan in his arms.)

 

_

 

He and Mary try to have a relationship six weeks after Eoghan’s born. Why wouldn’t they, Niall’s parents brought it up to them Sunday evening. Right after they had come out of Sunday Mass, Maura pushed everyone into a small cab and later forced them to sit in a round table with menus in their hands.

 

She brought it up after the waiter took their order for drinks, promising to bring their drinks back in a minute, “So,” Maura had said, her eyes still scanning the menu. It was clear who she was talking to, the tone was enough indication that Mary and Niall were the ones being addressed. The past couple of months, Mary and Niall had been the source of her distasteful tone.

 

Niall looked up from staring at Eoghan, six weeks old and all he’d really done was open his eyes, cry, eat, sleep, and poop. It wasn’t extraordinary--except, for Niall it was. Mary didn’t make a sound beside him, just continued to stare at the menu, she had been forced by her own mother to attend sunday mass with the Horan’s, “I was thinking,” Maura continued, “I was thinking about you two… And how you’ve done everything… _Backwards._ ”

 

Greg cleared his throat and muttered a quiet, “I’m heading to the loo.” before walking out from the table. No one paid any mind to him.

 

Mary and Niall don’t respond, “Well I was thinking that maybe it would be best, for both Eoghan and your sakes, that you try to… Start a relationship. Together.” she says, her tone firm.

 

It was hilarious to Niall, funny and ironic that his _mother_ had brought it up. Biting back a laugh, Niall internally scolded himself because _this wasn’t a laughing matter._  Just beside him Mary turned ghostly pale.

 

Clearing his throat Niall pulled his chair in closer, “Uhm, Ma…”

 

Before he could continue Maura put her hand up, “I know what you’re going to say Niall, but imagine how Eoghan will affected by this. Only having one parent? For the sake of your son, you must at least try.”

 

And they do.

 

Except, Mary’s gap year ends and she’s ready to go back to uni, and Niall, he’s left at home with Eoghan and not even a month out of secondary school. They don’t work out. They sleep in the same bed, _Mary’s_ because her room is bigger and it’s not Maura’s house. They try it out and it doesn’t work. 

 

Come August, Mary prepares her case and fills cardboard boxes with her stuff in, the essentials for her college dorm. Niall’s sat on the bed, a five-month old Eoghan laying on his stomach playing with the edges of his green fuzzy blanket. He’s making little noises, and any moment before Niall would’ve played along and started talking to him. He doesn’t this time.

 

After a moment of quiet silence between Niall and Mary, she speaks up, playing with the corner of a worn out copy of _The Hunger Games,_ “It’s… I won’t be gone for long. I’ll--I’ll call every week and visit when I can. I-- He’s my son too, I just need to finish two years and… And i’ll come back, degree and all.”

 

Niall doesn’t respond, instead he glances back at Eoghan before standing up and going to help Mary pack.

 

At night, when everything of Mary’s is packed and placed in respective places, Niall lays in bed with her, holds her hand in between their bodies.

 

They were always better off as friends.

 

_

 

Niall doesn’t awaken to the normal blaring tune of his four-fifty am alarm clock, he’s shaken awake by an endless black dream that settles into the pit of his stomach as soon as his eyes open to the sight of a dark and shadowless room. Niall wakes up vibrating in his own skin, the thrum of his heartbeat racing in his chest is the only proof of this so called night terror he was woken by.

 

He pushes the thin covers to the bottom of his feet, the scratchy material only faintly touching the bottom of his bare heels, he’s sweating but shivering all at once.

 

“Papa!” His ears ring from the loud scream and Niall turns to action. Bolting out of bed, feet first, he ignores the icy feeling at the tip of his toes and runs towards Eoghan’s room.

 

There are moments where he curses the narrow hall of his apartments, despises the small space he’s supposed to call home. But, as he bashes into the frame of an open closet door and makes it to Eoghan’s room in just under thirty seconds, he thanks any God willing to listen, for the short distance he has to travel. There’s sweat dripping down the spine of his back, resting into wet spots at the cloth of his pants.

 

As he closes into Eoghan’s room, the moans and groans, and hearty sobs get louder. He dreads what he’ll see upon entering. And in his dreaming state he hopes that all he sees is his baby shaken from a night terror.

 

There, in a shaken state, is Eoghan covered in his own vomit and face red from tears tracks and holding in his breath to stop any sobs that could escape.

 

Eoghan lets out an agonizing sob and closes his eyes, screeching out another heartbreaking, “ _P_ _apa!”_

 

Blindly Niall turns on the lights and lets his eyes adjust to the harsh yellow lights. The overwhelming stench of puke hits him just a second later and with the clarity from the lights Niall notices the puddle of vomit just beside Eoghan’s tiny bed.

 

His heart breaks just a bit more.

 

“Papa,” Eoghan sobs out again, “Papa. Papa. Papa. My--my s-stomach h-hurts-s.” he lets out as another sob racks his body. Niall treks to the bed, stepping over the pile of puke and pulling Eoghan out of bed, he grabs him at his arm pits and pushes Eoghan moist bangs out of his face.

 

Clearing his throat Niall shushes Eoghan’s sobs and pushes out a, “What’appened babe?” his voice is raspy and his throat burns but he ignores it in favor of feeling over Eoghan’s face and neck.

 

Tears forming in his eyes, Eoghan opens his mouth, forming an ‘o’ with his pink lips and lets out another sob. Only to be stopped when he pales and he pushes his hands onto his mouth. His cheeks bloat up and Niall only has a fraction of a second to get off the bed before Eoghan’s vomiting onto the floor, just beside the last pile of puke. Niall’s toes barely touch Eoghan’s throw up.

 

Any trace of sleep has long left Niall, leaving him wide awake and a sense of dread over him, “Oh buddy,” He murmurs, rubbing Eoghan’s back as he dry heaves. Eoghan is a blubbering mess, repeating “ _PapaPapa. It hurts”._ Settling back into the small bed, Niall pulls Eoghan onto his lap, rubbing his stomach in a circular motion muttering quiet “shhh bud, it’s okay” into his ear.

 

After Eoghan’s sobs had quieted down to hiccups and the occasional dry sniffle Niall pulled him off the bed, “Sorry, bud. How’bout we get you out of these clothes? Hmm.” he says, standing Eoghan onto his feet, he starts to pull of his soiled night shirt off, leaving him half bare and shivering from the cold night. Offhandedly Niall thinks to remind himself to raise the heater. He grabs Eoghan’s hand and leads him to the bathroom across the hall from his room.

 

Turning to twist the knob on, Eoghan keeps Niall’s hand in his, “Papa, I-I...Papa I don’t wa-want to-to take a-a b-bath.” he says shakily. He starts to shake his hand, tears welling up in his eyes he murmurs _“no, no, no”._

 

Niall’s heart breaks just a bit more, “I’m sorry bud, please don’t cry. I know. I know, O, you’ll get to rest soon. We just need to get you cleaned up, alright? I’m so sorry Eoghan, it’ll be quick.” he says, Niall rubs Eoghan’s hand encouragingly. The despair settles into him as he watches his seven year old shake in his soiled sleeping clothes.

 

Pulling Eoghan’s hand, Niall tilts his head towards the running bath tub, “C’mon,” he says gently, “Just a quick one. Then you can come lay with me, promise bud.”

 

After a bit of coaxing, Niall settles on his knees in front of the bathtub whilst Eoghan sits inside of the bath, with the water sloshing warmly around his stomach. “Feeling better, O?” Niall asks quietly as he places his fingers into the lukewarm water.

 

Instead of responding, Eoghan sighs and sniffles again.

 

“I know you’re tired bud, we’ll get you cleaned up quick.” Niall says.

 

After Eoghan’s quick bath, they burrow into Niall’s cover, “If you feel sick again, tell me, okay?” Eoghan nods his head and buries deeper into Niall’s arms.

 

“Good night, bud, love you.”

 

Niall waits until Eoghan’s breath settles out to let out a loud sigh, _fuck man,_ he thinks to himself.

 

Preparing himself for a sleepless night, he pulls Eoghan closer onto himself and closes his eyes, hoping that by some miracle he’ll sleep for a bit longer.

 

_

 

Eoghan wakes up twice in the next four hours feeling sick, Niall’s quick to pull the bin just beside his bed under Eoghan’s gagging face as he starts to vomit.

 

For those two times, they stay awake for another half hour, Eoghan’s stomach rumbling unhappily and Niall trying to coax a tired Eoghan back to bed.

 

By the time his alarm rips through the heavy silence of the room, a steady throb has fixed itself into Niall’s head. He’s quick to shut off the alarm, hoping to not wake his seven year old from his slumber. Much the opposite of his father, Eoghan remains soundlessly asleep, not the slightest disturbed by the brazen alarm or Niall’s sudden choppy movements. Niall pulls himself out of bed and grabs his phone on the way. Tip toeing out of the room he leaves the door ajar and keeps the light of the hall turned off.

 

On his way to the kitchen Niall’s eyes burn as the flashing lights from his phone screen turn on. He dials Jerry’s number, the owner of the self-proclaimed “great gas for cheap” petrol station, the phone rings for an agonizing minute, already biting his nails in anxiousness Niall almost ends the call before he hears the familiar angry tone of his boss.

 

Clearing his throat on the other end, Jerry says, “ _Niall, to what do I the pleasure of this four a.m. call?”_

 

Wincing at Jerry’s dry tone, Niall stammers out the rehearsed speech he had planned an hour earlier, whilst trying to get some sleep, “Well, um. Eoghan, my son, has come up with a stomach virus, and, I won’t be able to come in. He’s feeling under the weather and I need to… Help him, um, get better…” The butterflies settled into his stomach, and for a second he wondered if in the span of a few hours, could he have caught the stomach bug.

 

Jerry is silent on the other end, the only indication of still being on the line was the rustling from his end. _Fuck, he was still in bed,_ Niall cursed himself, he’s always had bad timing.

 

After a loud bang from Jerry’s end, he spoke up, _“Look, Niall, you gotta do what ya’ gotta do. Stay home with your kid, don’t worry about it. I’m sure Vicky wouldn’t mind an extra shift.”_ he said nonchalantly. Niall could imagine the old man shrugging to himself, leaving him with a sense of relief.

 

Feeling a weight off his shoulders, Niall relaxed and said, “Thank you sir. I really appreciate it this--”

 

Cutting Niall off, Jerry said, “ _Not that I don’t appreciate these four am calls, but I would like to get some sleep. Good night Niall._ ” before Niall could bid him a good night ( _more like a good morning_ ), Jerry had hung up, leaving Niall to the empty silence of his flat.

 

Quietly, he makes his way to the kitchen, lighting the room Niall tries to remember where he’d last put the kids medicine he’d bought. Much like his Papa, Eoghan easily got sick.

 

He’d found the bright pink bottle in the cupboard right behind his box of tea.

 

Taking in the lack of sound coming from his room, Niall prepared the tea kettle and settled into the chair right beside the round kitchen table. He knew this would be a long day.

 

After an hour or two of doing nothing but picking at the blueberry muffin he had bought himself at the gas station, Niall is shaken out of his stupor by a tiny hand patting his thigh. There, beside him, is a sweaty and red Eoghan who’s looking up at Niall with a wobbly bottom lip.

 

Pushing the blueberry away, Niall shakes the crumbs away and frowns. “Hey bud,” he says before grabbing Eoghan and placing the seven year old onto his lap.

 

Cuddling his head into his Papa’s neck, Niall can tell Eoghan’s fever had rocketed from where it was earlier.

 

“Papa,” Eoghan starts, mumbling it into the crease of Niall neck, “Papa, my stomach s--still hurts.” he says quietly.

 

Rubbing circles onto Eoghan’s back he says, “I’m really sorry bud. But, hey, listen to me, “pulling Eoghan away from the small cuddle session, he grins and and with a feigned excitement says, “I know what’ll make you feel a lot better!”

 

He knew the only way to make Eoghan feel better, was to place him in front of a TV that’s playing his favourite show of all time. Eoghan frowned at him, thinking that nothing could make him feel better, not when his belly is hurting _this_ much. “What?” He asks.

 

“I’ll let you watch _Tom and Jerry,_ while you’re eating!” Niall exclaims. Easily enough, Eoghan agrees to it with no hesitation, he climbed off of Niall and opened his mouth wide when Papa told him too. He even swallowed the gross medicine when he was told to, even though he wanted to spit it out, and soon he was laying on the couch with a blanket on top of him with _Tom and Jerry_ playing on the tv.

 

Making sure Eoghan was okay, Niall placed a garbage bin right beside the couch and told him if he were ever sick, to vomit inside the bin. He went to the kitchen, searching the cupboards for any crackers or snack that would stay down in Eoghan’s sensitive stomach, he came empty. The only thing he found was a pack of juice boxes with a kangaroo on the logo.

 

“Well,” He sighed, “this’ll have to do for now.” Ripping a juice box from the pack, he placed it on the table and began to cut up the fruits he had. Seemingly satisfied with what he came up with, Niall took bowl of cut up fruits and the juice box to Eoghan, who was giggling to himself after something funny had occurred.

 

“Eoghan,” Niall called, sitting on his knees in front of the couch he placed the bowl of fruit and juice box beside Eoghan, “can you eat this for me? I know your tummy still aches but if you don’t eat anything, you’ll feel worse.”

 

Turning away from his cartoons, Eoghan looked down at the food with disgust. The thought of eating anything was making him feel sick again. Shaking his head he said, “I don’t want to Papa, I’m not hungry.”

 

“I know you’re not, but you really need to eat… Please, O? Do it for me?” Niall pleads, it was hard to get any seven year old to do something they don’t want to do, unless you’re negotiating that is (but Niall isn’t looking to negotiate this time).

 

To his dismay, Eoghan is all the stubborn, just like his Pa.

 

After a moment filled with Niall pleading, he gives up. “Eoghan,” he says in a sterner tone, “you have to eat. I know you don’t want to, but you’ll feel even worse if you don’t. You’ll eat the fruit and drink your juice, got it?” Niall wasn’t a big fan of his stern-Papa voice, but sometimes he’s got to put his foot down (unfortunately Eoghan’s sick).

 

Eoghan sighs and pouts for a second before grabbing a piece of banana and chewing on it, smiling Niall pats his head and says, “Thanks bud. I promise you’ll feel much better.”

 

They sit there together for a few hours, Eoghan munching at the fruit and occasionally slurping on the juice box (it was chocolate flavored, his favorite). After about an hour of silence, except for Tom and Jerry’s troubling actions, Niall wondered how someone could sit in front of the TV for so long. As a child Niall could only take to watching TV for a few minutes before he was tapping his feet and devising a plan to get out of the house without anyone knowing.

 

Eoghan was completely different in this aspect, Niall could cook in the kitchen without worrying that Eoghan would wonder off and do something he wasn’t supposed to. Place a TV or game in front of him and he’s set for the next few hours. Niall reckons Eoghan got that from Mary, but that’s only from guessing.

 

The cartoon show goes onto commercial, showing ads for games with overly enthusiastic kids, getting up from his previous seat on the floor Niall takes Eoghan’s empty bowl and the squashed juice box. “You want something else bud? Another juice box or something?” Niall asks the seven year old who’s watching the commercials with keen interest.

 

Turning to his Papa just enough to answer, “Can I get another juice, please Papa?” he asked, eyes squinted and his hands intertwined in front of him.

 

Nodding his head, Niall exited the room, he took two juice boxes from the packet, one for himself and the other for Eoghan. He took  few moments to prepare himself a sandwhich with the few items inside his fridge, _have to go grocery shopping_ he reminded himself, putting that on his mental ‘ _to-do’_ list, along with giving Martha a thank you call later.

 

Upon returning, he’s met with Eoghan crouching in front of the bin, his white-pajama shirt stained with bit and pieces of fruit and juice that came back as throwup. Eoghan looks up at his Papa and cries before saying, “I tried to hold it in Papa, but it came out. It hurts again!”

 

Placing the food down, Niall crouches down beside Eoghan and began to rub his back, murmuring soothing “ _shhh, you’re okay, it’s okay,”_ as Eoghan continued to vomit anything he’d eaten in the last few hours.

 

Watching Eoghan cry in pain, only made the dread settle at the pit of Niall’s stomach. Thoughts of doing anything other than being with Eoghan were ignored and forgotten.

 

_

 

The rest of the day went much the same, the only thing Eoghan could keep in was a few dry crackers, and by night the pain in his stomach had not soothed down at all.

 

Niall settled Eoghan beside him after bathing him again, he placed a dry towel under him and moved the bin to the side of the bin. As Niall placed the covers just under Eoghan’s chin, the seven year old blinked repeatedly, trying to keep himself awake for just a bit longer.

 

Rubbing his thumb over Eoghan’s flushed cheek, Niall whispered, “Go to bed bud, it’s all right, you’ll feel much better in the morning.”

 

With no hesitance from Eoghan, he closed his eyes and after a few minutes his breathing settled to a continuous rhythm.

  


Eoghan didn’t feel better the next morning.

 

He felt _worse._

 

And Niall hadn’t gotten more than an hour of sleep for the last forty-eight hours.

 

Waking up Saturday morning, Eoghan and Niall were in clear shitty moods. In the kitchen, Eoghan refused any offer of food Niall made. After refusing pancakes for the third time (Eoghan’s _favorite_ breakfast food) Niall had enough. Clenching his fist on the counter, he turned to his sick seven year old. Trying not to let his frustration show, Niall slowly asked, “So what do you _want_ to eat Eoghan?”

 

Eoghan crossed his arms in his chest, obviously noting Niall’s frustration, shrugging he said, “I’m not hungry Papa.” _Of course he said that_ , Niall thought to himself.

 

Sighing to himself, Niall said, “You have to eat something. So settle on something. I’ll ask one more time, Eoghan, what do you want to eat?” He didn’t even try to hide his anger and frustration. Niall couldn’t take Eoghan’s stubbornness for longer.

 

After a beat of silence Eoghan resigned, “I… Can I get oatmeal, please?” not forgetting to add please at the end, because Papa taught him that not saying please after asking for something was rude.

 

Niall took this with a sense of triumph and turned to look at the cupboards. He searched the cabinets for a while longer before he came empty handed. _Fuck I really do need to go grocery shopping._

 

“Eoghan can you stay here for a moment, I have to go ask Mrs. Martha for something. I’ll just be gone a second so stay put, okay?” Eoghan only nodded his head before lifting himself off the stool and heading to the living room. He took the bin with him on the way. For the moment, Niall was grateful for Eoghan’s slight obsession with cartoon shows.

 

Taking his keys, Niall shut the apartment door and headed just down the hall to Mrs. Martha’s apartment. Knocking with a bit more force than necessary, Niall only waited for a second before Mrs. Martha opened the door, still in her nightgown and robe from the night before.

 

Niall flushed in embarrassment, “Uhh, good morning Mrs. Martha…”

 

Look at him expectantly, Niall continued on, “I’m very sorry for waking you up, but, um… I was just wondering if you have any oatmeal packets? It’s just, Eoghan’s been feeling a bit poorly the past few days and he only wanted to eat Oatmeal, I don’t have any. So... “

 

Interrupting him, Mrs. Martha said, “Come along, I’m sure I have something.” before turning around and heading into her apartment.

 

As soon as he entered, Mrs. Martha’s grey fat cat, Mars, tangled herself in between his legs. He bent down to pat her, “Hey girl,” Eoghan would be absolutely be livid if he heard that Niall pet Mars without him (Eoghan loved Mars). After a few moments of petting Mars, and her purring him along, he got up and went towards the kitchen. The old lady was looking through her cupboards until she pulled out a brown box. “Aha!” she said.

 

“Here you go!” she said after handing him the box.

 

“Oh thank you, I don’t need to the whole box, just a packet--”

 

Waving her hand in the air she dismissed Niall’s words, “Take it. I don’t even eat oatmeal, I just bought it because my daughter wanted me to eat healthier. It’s not even open, you can tell how that went.”

 

Laughing a bit, Niall said, “Thank you Mrs. Martha. I appreciate this.”

 

Walking towards the door, Mrs. Martha called out to Niall from inside the kitchen room, “I’ll go over your apartment at three so you can go grocery shopping!”

 

Knowing that Mrs. Martha would ignore any of his objections, he agreed and thanked before exiting the apartment and returning to his sick and grumpy seven year old.

  
  


At three, Mrs. Martha arrived to the apartment with Mars in her hands and a smirk, “Where’s that grumpy child of yours?” As if knowing he was being mentioned, Eoghan came barrelling into the hallway where he yelled in excitement when he saw the feline.

 

Eoghan sat himself on the floor with Mars in his lap, rubbed and pat at her fur. “You’re so cute Mars!” Niall watched as his son played with the cat for a while before he turned to Mrs. Martha, “I’ll be on my way now.”

 

“Eoghan, bud, I’m going to the market right now, Mrs. Martha will be with you for a bit while I’m out. If you get hungry just ask her and she’ll give you something. If you have to vomit, go to the toilet or the bin. Okay? I’ll just be gone for a bit--”

 

Eoghan looked up from where he was petting Mars, “I know Papa, you’ll be gone for a bit.”

 

Mrs. Martha chuckled and started pushing Niall out the door, “We’ll be fine. He’ll be fine. Be on your way!” she called out before slamming the door shut before Niall could say anything else. Walking down the hall, Niall ignored any negative thoughts and hurried along. He’d been a father for seven years now, for God’s sake it is wasn’t the first time he left Eoghan with someone other than himself whilst the seven year old is sick.

 

Niall pushed the doors to the stairs corridor open and started on his way. Secretly, to himself, he felt relief as he walked out the apartment building. No matter how comforting his flat may be, he wasn’t the kind of person to keep himself inside for a long period of time. To Niall, nothing beat being outside in the fresh air.

 

His only source of transportation was the public bus, and, on occasions the train. He walked the short distance to the bus stop expecting anything but the large  line of people curled around the street. Groaning he took a glance at his phone and on a whim, not wanting to wait any longer than need be, Niall turned back around and started trudging his way to the grocery shop.

 

It may take longer, but anything would be better than waiting for a bus that was already full to its brim.

  


By the time Niall got to the shop, his fingers were red numbed with the cold and his nose was pink and stuffy. He looked ridiculous, standing right in front of the automatic doors of the shop, inside, rubbing at his hands and shaking his head to somehow calm the birds-nest that was his hair.

 

He warmed his hands the best he could, breathing air into them, wetting them just a bit from the spit in his mouth. Deeming his hands warm enough, Niall took a one of the carts and started his journey around the shop, trying to remember the things he needed. Each week he made a mental note to start writing a list of things they needed, and each week he’d forget.

 

He walked around the shop, browsing the shelves for supplies they need. Picking up boxes of cereal and little snacks for when Eoghan is behaving well (he always ensured there was some type of snacks for Eoghan, the boy had tooth for sugar just like his Papa).

 

Humming under his breath a tune Niall could not place a name to, he wandered around aisle to aisle. He liked grocery shopping, as odd as the may seem, he felt it cleared his mind and all of his attention would be on the matter at hand. (“ _Chocolate milk or strawberry milk?” He asked a Eoghan, who at the time was a bright eyed three year old who giggled at anything his Papa would do. Eoghan stared up at him with his big blue eyes and blinked. “Yeah, I agree, you can never go wrong with chocolate.”)_

 

Arriving at the dairy section Niall stared at the cartons of milk trying to remember if they had milk at home. _Okay,_ he thought to himself, _I made tea for myself this morning… I think I put milk in it?_

 

Entranced in his own thoughts, Niall didn’t even register the person to his left, “Go with the green cap, it’s healthier.” the person on his left said.

 

Jumping out of trance, Niall turned to the person beside him. And there, standing in all his tall-dark-and-handsome glory was the guy from the gas station yesterday. The stranger, was staring at Niall with a teasing grin, _shit are his teeth white,_ and his arms crossed in front of him.

 

“What?” Niall asked after a beat too long of silence.

 

The stranger, who Niall yet knew the name of, chuckled and cleared his throat, “Uhm, milk wise. The green cap is healthier. I was just recommending it since… You were staring at it for so long.” he said. His voice was thick and gravelly, turning Niall’s insides into a puddle.

 

Not knowing how to respond, Niall stared at the stranger for a second longer, watching as his face flushed in mild-embarrassment, “Oh. Well, I actually do use the green cap, but… But I was trying to remember if I needed to buy a carton because I don’t want to buy one when I’ve already got one at home… You know how it is?” he said.

 

Grinning up at the stranger, Niall continued on, “Thanks for the recommendation though.”

 

They stared at each other for a while, until an old lady barrelled passed them spouting out an annoyed “ _excuse me you’re in my way.”_ , pulling each other away, Niall grabbed a milk carton and placed it into his trolley, hoping that they didn’t have a full one at home.

 

The stranger watched as both Niall and the old lady grabbed a milk carton then said, “Well, it was nice seeing you…” Trailing off he stared at Niall with a frown, his brow crinkling in confusion.

 

“Niall,” he added.

 

“Ah! Nice seeing you Niall, my names Harry by the way.”  The stranger-- _Harry--_ said brightly. He pushed his hand in front of Niall and shook his in return.

 

Bending down Harry grabbed the red basket full of vegetables and turned around, shooting a “ _have a good day”_ to Niall over his shoulder.

 

He watched as Harry navigated himself around the crowds, before turning back to his cart and returning to his shopping. He had a sickly seven year old at home that was probably getting hungry, and Mrs. Martha for all that she is a lovely lady, cannot cook to save her life.

 

_

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niall and Eoghan set back into the routine of school days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a mess, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyways. sorry for the late update. feedback is much appreciated. x

They spend Sunday morning wrapped in the sheets Niall had neglected to put away after last night's’ activity (Eoghan insisted that the only way to get him to sleep is by watching movies in living room. He had fallen asleep an hour into Mulan.) and watching reruns of  _ Tom and Jerry _ . 

 

Eoghan settles into Niall quietly, animatedly watching the cartoons, mindlessly grabbing pieces of fruit from the bowl beside him. He’d been feeling much better today, only waking up once in the middle of the night to retch in the porcelain toilet. After sitting there for a while Niall turned to Eoghan, “Hey, O, how you feelin’ bud? Feeling better?” 

 

The seven year old turned to his father, but only because his show went into commercials, nodding his head he said, “Yup! I feel better Papa and… Papa? I’m hungry.” surprised at Eoghan’s comment, yet relieved at the same time Niall shifted from out of the covers.

 

“Oh yeah? How do you feel about some soup? I think that’s the best option, huh?” Niall asked Eoghan.

 

The seven year old contemplated for a bit, jutting out his bottom lip and tapping his finger on his chin,  “Mmm, I guess. I think I’d like soup Papa.” he said shrugging. He turned back to the TV, seemingly ending the conversation in favor of watching the cartoon show come back. . 

 

Smiling at his son, Niall made himself get up from the sofa, shaking his legs out, his butt had become numb from sitting down for too long. Thinking to himself, Niall mentally prepared what he would use for the soup and what he actually had in the fridge and cupboards. He began to look through the fridge, taking out the necessary vegetables. “Hey Eoghan? Did you do your afternoon reading for Friday?” Niall asked from inside the kitchen. 

 

After not hearing a response from Eoghan, Niall asked again, “O, did you hear me?” he stopped rummaging through a drawer in the fridge waiting for his son to respond. Not at all confused by the seven year old’s lack of response, Niall inspected the vegetables in hand.

 

A beat of silence and Eoghan finally answers, quietly he says, “Yeah… I heard you Papa,” he quieted down again before saying, “I didn’t do my Friday reading…” Niall heard the telltale sound of the television being shut off before hearing Eoghan’s bare feet hit the ground continuously (Eoghan was a heavy walker, stomping was a better way to describe his walking) until he stopped behind the open fridge door. 

 

Frowning a bit at his Papa, Eoghan already knew what he would say, “Okay, well you know the rules; no TV until the readings done. All you have to read is five pages bud, then you can go back to watching.” Niall said quietly, he was cutting him some slack because  _ he had  _ been sick the whole weekend. 

 

Cheering up a bit Eoghan grinned up at his Papa, “Can I help you when I’m done Papa? I haven’t helped you in a while.” he pushed the fridge door closed when he saw his Pa get up from the ground, carrying an array of vegetables in his hands.

 

Seeing this, the seven year old crinkled his nose, “Are you putting all of those in the soup, Papa?” 

 

Nodding his head amusedly Niall said, “Yeah, but you’ll like it O. Promise. Now go do your reading, the sooner you finish the sooner you can come help me.” from behind him, Eoghan took off in the direction of his room. 

 

Niall placed his phone on the counter and started up his music, as an afterthought he grabbed the white apron from his the back of a chair, the one with both his and Eoghan’s hand prints and finger painted letters spelling out  _ “Number #1 Papa” _ . “Might as well cook in style.” He muttered to himself. 

 

He began to prepare for the meal, washing the vegetables and starting to boil a pot of water. He tried not to think about whether or not Eoghan was actually doing his reading, because he has to have  _ some  _ faith in his seven year old.

 

He manages around the kitchen quickly, one of the responsibilities of moving out from his parent’s place meant he was forced to feed himself (and a baby), without the constant help of a parent. Niall was about ready to place the cut up vegetables into the boiling pot when McBusted was cut off and replaced with the annoying  **_THRINGGG THRING_ ** of his ringtone. 

 

Alerted by his phone, Niall placed the bowl of vegetables down before quickly walking towards his phone, he rubbed his wet hands on the apron. It wasn’t often he received a call on a Sunday afternoon, assuming it was Jerry calling him to ask him to pick up an extra shift, he picked up his phone from where it was on the counter.

 

There on the brightly lit screen was a picture of Mary and Eoghan as a baby. It took him a second to realize who was calling. Niall ignored the negative thoughts in the back of his head telling him something was wrong with Mary,  _ that’s the only reason she’d call anyways…  _

 

Quickly swiping the screen, bewildered he let out a “Hello?” over the phone. 

 

The line crackled and Niall could hear the sound of Mary’s muffled yells, “ _ Jeffrey I said stop running!”  _

 

“ _ Niall?”  _ She called out over the phone. It never failed to amaze him how quick she could go from yelling loudly to talking ever so quietly.

 

“Mary? Hey… Um, yeah, hey?” Niall said, surprise laced in his tone. It had been months since Mary’s last call,  _ last  _ visit. Her absence reminded him of when she had left to college, right after she’d given birth to Eoghan. The first two months were nothing like the rest, every week she’d call Niall. They’d talk for hours (“ _ I don’t want to miss anything he does Ni.” _ ). Three months later, Mary’s calls became as infrequent as her visits. 

 

_ “Sorry, give me a sec, Jeffery what did I say? Go sit and do your homework with Mike. Go,”  _ She said insistently to Jeffrey, “ _ Well hello again Niall.”  _ she added breathlessly. 

 

Their phone calls always started the same way, Mary would be yelling at one of her boys, and her attention would never fully be at the conversation in hand. But he couldn’t blame her, he was a father just as well, knew how much attention needs to be on his son. Niall responded, “Um how’s it going?” he always found that trying to have a meaningless conversation with Mary never worked out, they weren’t the kind to play catch-up or even waste time beating around the bush. Especially after having Eoghan, Mary stood for no bullshit talking.

 

_ “Great actually!”  _ She said. Her voice never changed, he noted, still the same raspy quality it was when she was nineteen and talking Niall into following her into her room.

 

Niall rolled his eyes, already irritated from this phone call, he didn’t bother hiding his irritation, if there was anyone that could understand him as clear as day, it was Mary. “Mary what is it? Why did you call?”

 

Clearing her throat Mary continued quietly, “ _ Just wanted to know how the two of you are… I saw the picture you put up of O last week on facebook. Y’know the one where he’s dressed up as… Ash? I think that’s his name--”  _

 

Niall interrupted her, “I would never take him away from you Mary, but don’t start with this shit, why do you call now?” he asked icily. There was only so much of her bullocks that he could take, a call every six months wasn’t the most comfortable arrangement for Niall.

 

“ _ I know I haven’t called in a while Ni, but… But I’ve been busy, what with the office and the kids. I’m-- Jonah asked me to marry him a month ago and… And we’ve started the planning and all.” _

 

So that’s why? Jonah was Mary’s boyfriend, well fiance now, father of her two boys and the man that stole her heart when she went away to college. It didn’t bother him to hear of Jonah anymore, or even of Mary’s two other boys. It had been five years ago when Mary introduced him to Jonah, the same guy she had met at uni, the first year after she had given birth to Eoghan. Five years ago Niall would’ve spat Jonah’s name in anger and jealousy, would’ve pulled Mary aside and ask her what kind of fucking mother she was, going around sleeping with other men--

 

But it’s been five years and he’s grown up. 

 

Moved on. 

 

Mary had as well.

 

They were adults now. Or at least Niall would like to pretend they were.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Niall threw a “Congratulations,” into the phone. What more was he supposed to say? 

 

“ _ Thanks, um… I know it’s no excuse but… Never mind. Can I--Um can I talk to Eoghan for a bit? How’s he doing? How’s he been?”  _ She asked. He could imagine how she looked, standing with a hand on her hip, tapping her fingers against the meat of her hip. She never got out of the habit of standing and talking on the phone. 

 

Fighting the urge to deny her that, Niall quickly responded with a, “He’s doing his reading, but um, he’s just getting out of a stomach bug. Been puking the whole weekend and feeling under the weather.” he didn’t know how else to respond, what more to give her when he’s used to giving only the bare minimum.

 

Mary hummed and said, “ _ But he’s better now, yeah? _ ”

 

“Yeah.” Niall said quietly. “Give me a sec to get him.” He added as an afterthought.

 

The walk to Eoghan’s room felt like a century, he avoided the toys on the ground and the spare book his son left open, he had placed the phone on his chest. Why subject himself to anymore awkwardness by listening to Mary’s breathing over the phone. 

 

Pushing the ajar door open, he spotted the seven year old on the floor beside his bed. In his hands, Eoghan had his book from school open. He would mutter under his breath the words he read and occasionally push his shaggy brown hair away from his eyes.

 

“Hey bud,” Niall called out, “It’s Mam.” he said, placing the phone out in the air for him to grab.

 

And as if he hadn’t just been tuned into his reading, Eoghan pushed his book off in a quick motion. His face lighting up when he saw Papa offering his phone. Grabbing onto the phone, Eoghan placed it on his ear and with a loud bubbly voice he said, “Hi Mama!”

 

Niall wouldn’t deny his son the bit of happiness his mother gave him. 

 

Different from when watching television, Eoghan was restless when talking on the phone. He never stayed in one place for too long, pacing around the apartment, he’d turn every corner, play with every knob on a door, and still talk on the mobile a mile a minute. 

 

Niall left him to his devices, suddenly remembering the boiling pot of water he had left on. 

 

He figured Eoghan wouldn’t come to help him, as he was preoccupied, so Niall put the vegetables and meat into the pot. Closing it after he had done that.

 

His thoughts were taking over, tried to think of whatever Eoghan and Mary were talking about (there was only so much he could get from Eoghan’s loud one sided chatter).

 

After an hour of Niall watching the soup and pretending not to listen to Eoghan, the said seven year old came barrelling into the kitchen. Niall’s phone outstretched in his hands, the screen was black and blank. Giggling loudly Eoghan said to his Papa, “Mam said she wants to facetime with me tomorrow Papa. She said she would call right after I finished my homework!” the enthusiasm in his voice, left Niall a bit amused.

 

Rubbing Eoghan’s outstretched hand, Niall softly took the phone and placed it on the table. “What did you guys talk about bud?” He asked, knowing Eoghan wouldn’t forget a single detail.

 

And without failing, Eoghan launched into a recounting of their whole conversation, trying not to leave a single detail out. 

 

Niall listened intently.

 

_

 

Night had fallen and Eoghan was already safe in bed, cuddled up to his sheets and his pillow.

 

Niall on the other hand was still wide awake. Following their lunch, Niall had gone to help Eoghan finish his reading. Subsequently, leading to them doing the reading for the next few days. 

 

By the time night had rolled in, Eoghan was ready to drop. He’d barely managed to keep his eyes open when he was showering, and didn’t help at all when Papa was putting on his jammies. Niall didn’t complain though, Eoghan going to bed without a fight always meant a good night for Niall. 

 

Anyways, after washing himself up, Niall stayed up to catch up on his online classes. 

 

When Eoghan was born, Niall finished secondary school only to take  _ multiple gap years  _ from uni. There wasn’t any time, Niall had told his parents one night, they had cornered him after he had put Eoghan down for his quarterly kip. There wasn’t any time,  _ I’m a father now and Eoghan needs my attention.  _

 

They didn’t bother him about that for a while, not until he had moved out and the best job he could get was full time at a gas station and part time at a music store. Pulling him into the kitchen, Maura had sat him down and laid it all out, “I know you seem content with your…  _ ‘Jobs’ _ . But Niall, I will not let you continue with this.”

 

They had come to an agreement. Maura and Bobby would pay for Niall’s schooling, or until he’d get his degree, in return for him staying in Ireland. 

 

He agreed.

 

And on his twentieth birthday he enrolled into Dublin University and moved into the apartment he now lived in with Eoghan.

 

Four years later and he was on his way to getting his degree. 

 

Niall just had a few more courses to finish, one’s he could take readily online. He prefered it this way, having more time to spend with Eoghan and being able to do his work all at night, when he wasn’t spending time with his son. 

 

He planned to finish his essay tonight, so that tomorrow he’d spend all morning and afternoon with Eoghan (and whilst he was in school Niall would catch up on some needed sleep), before taking the night shift at the gas station. 

 

Niall settled into his bed further, and prepared himself for a long night.

 

_

He doesn’t sleep nearly as long as he’d hope. Come four am, Niall was just barely closing his eyes, having pushed his laptop shut deeping a page and half good enough for the night, he swore he’d take a quick five minute nap and then get back to work. He doesn’t wake up five minutes later, heavy in sleep Niall manages to ignore the vibration of his phone, a reminder he had set for himself to wake up.

 

He had set the bloody alarm to remind himself of the essay he had to complete by today, obviously knowing himself he knew he’d fall asleep only a few hours after working on it. Bleary eyed, Niall felt around for his phone which was still vibrating under him. 

 

And like clockwork, the dull throb in his head made its way up again. It seemed that in recent years headaches and sleepless nights became more prominent. Thinking back, Niall remembered getting more sleep when Eoghan was a baby and waking him at half past three in the morning, than now. 

 

At least, that’s what it feels like. Niall grumbles curses under his breath, an annoyance towards his less than fantastic professors for assigning work due on the same day. A quick tap on his phone screen and the vibration stopped, “ _ Thank fuck,” _ he muttered in a grainy voice. 

 

He cleared his throat once, twice, before regretfully pushing himself off of his bed. As he made his way out of his room and into the kitchen to prepare himself coffee (because tea wouldn’t keep him up, but coffee, that’d keep him up the whole day and then some), he made a mental to-do list for the day. Topping the list was the few papers he’d have to complete today, in a few hours would be nice, second was waking and getting Eoghan ready for school, and last, taking a kip on the sofa. A much needed kip. 

 

Niall quickly went to heat the water up, taking a stand nearby the kettle, he was prepared to remove it as soon as it started whistling. There was no way he’d risk waking Eoghan up this early in the morning.

 

The minutes seemed to drag on in Niall’s mind, drowsy and sleep deprived, the darkness of the kitchen was as inviting to him as his bed. His eyes drifted closed and for a second he felt his mind delve deep in a hazy state of sleeping whilst standing up--

 

That is, until the force of his head drooping down woke him up. Startled by his own movements, Niall glanced around and felt his cheeks heat up for an instance. His embarrassment was of falling asleep was enough to keep him awake until the water was boiling.

 

This wasn’t the first time Niall had slept standing up (and probably not the last); his first time was reserved for that dreadful Wednesday afternoon, on his way home in a bus packed to its brim. Due to the amount of rowdy teenagers and adults, crowded onto the bus, Niall was forced to stand in the aisle, holding onto the metal bar. Of course, as luck would have it, that day he was surviving on three hours of sleep and eight hours of work, he’d been tired as hell. One minute Niall found himself wide-eyed and awake, the next he felt his head slip onto someone’s shoulder, only to be gently pushed off. 

 

He had been mortified, to say the least. 

 

Groaning to himself after recounting the memory, Niall shuddered of embarrassment. “Never again.” He said to himself and quickly went to make himself coffee. 

 

Turning back to his room, Niall prepared himself for another three hours of paper torture.

 

_ 

 

Waking Eoghan up was about as amusing as it sounded. Taking after his mama, the seven year old was adamant in sleeping in for as long as he could and today was no exception. 

 

The sunny rays filtered in slowly as Niall opened the curtains in Eoghan’s room, beginning the process of waking Eoghan up Niall made sure to brighten up the dark room. Next, with leisure amusement filling him up, Niall moved to the unflinching seven year old, still lying with one leg on top of his sheets and the other tangled in between his pillow, as if the room hadn’t suddenly brightened. Stomping his way to the bed, Niall quickly pulled the sheets from under Eoghan, and swiftly called out to the seven year old, “Eoghan! Bud, it’s time to wake up… It’s seven!” chuckling to himself, he watched as Eoghan pouted and rolled over onto his stomach, burrowing into the mattress. 

 

And just like the other days, Niall began step four of waking Eoghan up: he inched his way up to Eoghan sleeping figure, as soon as he was close enough, the blond grabbed onto Eoghan shaking him awake. “Aha! Wakey-wakey O!” Niall exclaimed loudly. 

 

Startled by his Papa’s actions, Eoghan’s eyes opened abruptly as he felt his body being lifted from his mattress. 

 

Laying Eoghan back onto the mattress, he suppressed the urge to laugh as Eoghan turned to glare at him, “Well good morning, O.” his Papa said innocently.

 

All Eoghan did in return was glare at his Papa before sitting up fully. Grinning at his awake seven year old, Niall moved to get up, “I laid your uniform on the chair, O, go get ready. Breakfast will be ready soon.” 

 

Their morning routine was quite simple: Niall would spend five minutes waking Eoghan up before heading back to the kitchen to get started on breakfast, which usually consisted on tea for himself and eggs on toast for Eoghan (or oatmeal if he wasn’t feeling eggs that week because  _ Papa those eggs come from chickens _ ), and by the time they’d finished breakfast they’d be scrambling to leave because Niall always loses track of time. 

 

By the time they’ve reached the bus, Eoghan was already ten minutes late for school, “Sit Eoghan,” Niall said, finding a spare seat between an old lady and a sleeping teenager, “pass me your book bag, I’ll hold it for you O.” he added, noticing Eoghan wiggling in his seat. 

 

Far used to being on the bus every morning, Eoghan was content without looking out the window, choosing instead to recount his call with Mama to Papa again, reminding his papa if he had forgotten. 

 

By the time they reached their stop, Eoghan was twenty minutes late and Niall was frantically rushing off the bus, pushing past the people on the bus whilst still holding Eoghan’s hand tightly. Throwing a thank you over his shoulder, Niall quickened his pace, “Miss Evans won’t be happy I’m late again, Papa.” Eoghan commented offhandedly. He’d seen the look of her face every time Papa would drop him off a little late.

 

As they arrived at Eoghan’s school, they were greeted by the sight of Lawrence, the security guard, who waved animatedly at them, “Good morning guys!” He said as they rushed passed him.

 

“Morning Lawrence!” Eoghan and Niall responded. 

 

Groaning internally at the quiet halls and closed doors, Niall mentally prepared himself for the old lady’s judgemental stare. She hated Niall, his tardiness was a sign of bad parenting, or at least she thought.

 

Getting to the room, Niall and Eoghan were halted mid-step when a joyful Miss Evans stepped out of the classroom with a man-- _ Harry _ \-- in tow. Surprised at Miss Evans cheery mood, both stood agape as she turned to them with a smile on her face. “Well hello there Niall and Eoghan.” She greeted them grinning. 

 

A silence stretched for a moment as Niall processed Miss Evans sudden transformation, pulled out of his shock by Eoghan shaking his hand he quickly said, “Um, yeah, good morning. I’m so sorry we’re late--”

 

Interrupted by Miss Evans who waved off his apology she said, “It’s quite all right, I understand how time can just get away from you… Eoghan, honey, why don’t you go set up at your desk, we’re reading the book I gave you guys last week.” she cheerily said turned to Eoghan. 

 

The seven year old nodded, giggling at his teacher, he turned to his Papa and hugged him quickly before rushing into the room. The three adults stood quietly in the hall, Niall eyes turned to the door that had just closed. 

 

After a long pause, Miss Evans spoke up, “Oh pardon my rudeness, mister Horan, this is Harry Styles. One of my pupils from back when.” 

 

Shaking his head, Harry stepped closer to Niall, pushing his hand out, “Nice to see you again, Niall.” he said as he took his hand. 

 

_ There are those dimples again, _ Niall thought to himself as he shook Harry’s  _ firm  _ hand. Discreetly checking Harry out, Niall’s eyed wander up and down, looking back at Harry’s face he could tell his glances were as obvious as Niall hoped they hadn’t been. 

 

Harry winked at Niall before turning back to Miss Evans-- still holding NIall’s hand, “Well it was lovely catching up with you Miss, I’m afraid I must go now. I have a lecture to teach in a bit and I’d like to prepare.” he said kindly. Niall looked down at his hand, feeling moisture begin to set, he gently pulled his hand from Harry’s grip. 

 

Miss Evans exclaiming said, “Oh of course! It was so nice to see you again Harry! Please, message me whenever  you’d like, it was lovely hearing from you!” before pulling Harry into a sudden hug. 

 

Harry nodded and turned back to Niall, quietly he said, “And I’ll see you later.” before promptly exiting the hall. 

  
Bewildered by the situation, the shock returned as he glanced back at Miss Evans who was  _ checking out  _ Harry’s retreating form. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter took longer than necessary to write and for that I apologize. although it did take a while I hope you guys enjoy it. (unedited so any mistakes are mine) x

By the time Niall gets home, all the energy from this morning was long gone. His head was banging from lack of sleep and his skin was prickling from the nervous feelings he got when riding on the bus. On the bus ride home, Niall was stuck between a sleepy teenager, an old woman with too much red lipstick that glared at him every time the bus came to a sudden halt, and behind him a middle aged man whose stomach grazed on Niall’s back and breath stunk even from a meter away.

 

To say the least, Niall felt _shitty_.

 

The walk down the corridor to his apartment door felt endless, Niall felt beat down and all he wanted to do was get inside and _sleep_. His pillow and sheets were calling him in a sweet symphony that resonated in echoes in his mind and the pounding headache only quickened his pace, the promise of a deep sleep was as an enticing thought that he could not resist. Niall wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was a tiny bit glad Eoghan was in school right now, because if he hadn’t, his attention would go completely to his son and any hopes for some shut eye were gone.

 

Just before he could insert the keys to the slot, (the lock was fucked so it took him more than three tries just to get the key in, much to his chagrin), Niall was startled by a brazen voice calling to him.

 

“Oh Niall!” Mrs. Martha called to him from down the hall. She was dressed in bright clothes that hurt Niall’s eyes if he stared for too long. Her hair was in trapped under a satin cloth that matched the bright colors from her clothes.

 

She was barefoot, but smiling nonetheless.

 

Think happy thoughts Niall, he said to himself, you’ll be in bed soon enough, no need to get cross. Mentally scolding himself for his irritation, he turned to Mrs. Martha and faked a smile that he guaranteed looked more like a grimace. “Good morning,” He said, “how are you?” he asked quietly. The pounding in his head hadn’t let up for a moment, and her brazen attitude was not helping at all.

 

“Never mind that, I was hoping I could see you.” She said, waving her hands up in the air before continuing to say, “First I wanted to make sure that you still needed me to watch over Eoghan tonight?” and all traces of irritation left, how could Niall be annoyed at the woman who takes care of his child, even at the most oddest of times, and not once complains or asks to be paid.

 

Resisting the urge to thank her over and over for always watching over Eoghan when he’s away, Niall nodded his head and rushed to say, “Oh, yes, please. If you don’t have any plans or anything. I know you can be a busy woman, I wouldn’t mind if you had other plans, I could just call a babysitter and--”

 

Interrupting his rambling, Mrs. Martha laughed and waved away his worries (his thoughts had been running a mile a minute trying to think of anyone he could possibly call that would be willing to take care of Eoghan for the night. He’d come up empty handed) and with enthusiasm said, “Niall you and I both know that I have nothing to do at all. I don’t mind, I know you work constantly. Anyways that’s not what I came to talk to you about, you see, I am part of a book club. A few of my friends and I gather at the little venue down the street and chat about books, it’s the only old lady cliche I let myself have, but I was wondering if I could take Eoghan with me? The girls always bring their grandchildren and since Eoghan is around their age, I think it’d be a great thing for him to interact with other kids his age.”

 

This early in the morning, Niall’s sleep induced brain was slow to process everything. After taking a too long minute to understand what she was saying he responded, “Oh! Oh, sure, that’s--that’s great. Actually. Yeah, definitely!”

 

Mrs. Martha clapped once, too loud, “I’m sure he’ll love it. It’ll be good for him to be out and about instead of just watching the tele inside… You know what? The meeting starts around six, why don’t you come over with me, you’ll meet some of my friends, oh, and my _grandson_! I almost forgot, he comes on Mondays as well, you’ll love him. He’s a charming boy, takes after me of course!” She said boastful.

 

Nodding his head again (Niall was starting to feel like a bobblehead from all the nodding he’s been doing) and saying, “Yeah, I can do that. You said it’s down the street, right?”

 

“Yes! At the venue where the retirement homes’ host the weekly _adventurous_ game of Bingo, we’re allowed to use it. I’ll shoot over here ten minutes before six and we’ll walk over there together, how’s that sound?” She asked.

 

“Perfect.”

 

Niall had fallen asleep the second his head had hit the pillow, with no hesitation he’d knocked out on his thin and flimsy pillow and delved into a dreamful sleep that soothed his mind. Waking up, his body was covered in sweat, his shirt sticking to his damp body and jeans pressing onto his skin uncomfortably. Nevertheless, Niall just pushed the covers from off his body and stretched around in bed, blinking awake and willing his eyes to adjust to the bright sun rays of the afternoon light; in his head, he thanked his blackout curtains, they were inexpensive and shabby yet worked wonders for days like these.

 

Rolling in his bed for a few minutes, allowing for his body and mind to wake up as well, Niall got up from bed and looked around the room for his phone. He remembered throwing it over his shoulder after he felt it poking at his thigh uncomfortably when he was getting to bed. After a moment of squinting at the ground he found the cracked and small phone by his shoes, the screen lighting up as he approached it.

 

He sighed in relief after seeing the time on the phone, he’d already been late at dropping off Eoghan in the morning, he didn’t want to be late at picking him up either. Niall knew it was more of a coincidence than anything else that Harry had been there that morning but he couldn’t help from feeling lucky because he’d avoided the common scolding that Eoghan’s teacher loved to give him, which originated from that first day which Niall and Eoghan had first been late to.

 

Readying himself to leave, Niall pulled off his damp shirt and replaced it with a dryer one and managed to place his shoes on all in one motion. Years of rushing to get to places on time, Niall had mastered the art of getting dressed in under a minute. Sure, it wasn’t something to be proud of, but it certainly came in handy for moments like this.

 

The sleep had done him well, no longer did his head throb from a headache, and his mind felt clear like the morning sky of a sunny day.

 

On his way out of the house, Niall grabbed a banana from the bowl and a little pack of string cheese for Eoghan knowing that the seven year old was sure to be hungry.

 

 

By the time he had arrived at the school, the teachers and students were all lined up outside of the school on the small field. He could easily spot Miss Evans, there she was standing stock straight with her greying hair pulled back into an impeccable bun. Unlike the other teachers who outwardly showed their emotions, or at least feigned seeming so happy, Miss Evans stood in front of her students with not a even a ghost of a smile. Her lips were pulled back in a straight line.

 

Niall really couldn’t understand how his son had been so unlucky to be placed in a classroom with this old grumpy woman (ignoring the fact that Niall had applied Eoghan into school much later than recommended and the only classroom with room to fit his son in was with the phenomenal Miss Evans). Walking towards the line, Niall grinned and waved back to his son who was standing just behind Miss Evans, he was grinning up at his Papa with enthusiasm. (Eoghan’s brown hair was in a shaggy mess on top of his head and he would push it away from his face so he could see his Papa clearly).

 

Warmth and an emotion akin to joyness spread around Niall’s body, seeing his son so happy to see him only reminded him that nothing would ever compare to fatherhood.

 

Niall approached Miss Evans, “Good afternoon, Miss Evans,” he said with a smile, he was trying to be nice and hoped that she’d forgotten their initial interaction from this morning, “was Eoghan good this day?” he asked and like expected, Miss Evans only lifted and eyebrow at him, no twitch of the face at all.

 

Behind her, Eoghan was picking up his book bag from off the ground whilst simultaneously trying to put on his coat, “He was all right, I do recommend you go over a few readings with him, surprisingly he’s very good at math but struggling with reading.” she said before completely turning her back on Niall and saying to Eoghan, “Don’t forget to do your homework.” Eoghan nodded his head then started walking to his Papa.

 

When he reached Niall, Eoghan lept at him and grabbed onto him, “Hi Papa!” he said into his Papa shirt, “I missed you!” he added.

 

Hugging him back Niall said, “Me too bud! Here, let me take your bag.” untangling himself from Eoghan, Niall took his book bag and watched the seven year old adjust his coat.

 

Walking alongside each other, Niall listened intently as Eoghan began his routinely recounting of the day's’ events. Flapping his hands around, Eoghan talked animatedly while avoiding bumping into the other kids who were running and playing around chasing each other.

 

“And then Miss Evans gave me a gold star! All because I did the problem correctly! Look Papa! See, I put it on my hand.” He said and thrusting his small fist up so Niall could see, and true to his word, there on his fist was a small golden star.

 

“Wow,” Niall crowded, “that’s great, O!”

 

Smiling at the ground, Eoghan revelled in his father’s praise.

 

By the time they had reached the bus stop, Niall had heard a detailed recounting of Eoghan’s day, starting from the morning’s reading to what he had for lunch. In a lapse moment of silence Niall looked at Eoghan and said, “Hey, O, you know I’ll be working tonight, right?”

 

Eoghan looked up from where he was ripping off another piece of string from the cheese Niall had brought from home, “Yeah, Papa, I know. Do you think Mrs. Martha will bring Mars again? I want to pet her again, she was so nice when I pet her yesterday.” he said and then put the cheese in his mouth.

 

“About that, Mrs. Marth has invited us to go with her to her book club meeting, they talk about books there, she said there will be other kids.” Niall said.

 

Before responding, the bus arrived and Eoghan entered with Niall trailing behind him. The seven year old quickly found a seat and sat himself there, patting the empty seat beside him for Papa to sit next to him. Looking at Eoghan expectantly, the seven year old said, “I don’t like reading Papa.”

 

Chuckling, Niall said, “No bud, you won’t be reading, don’t worry. You’ll be playing with the other kids there. Doesn’t that sound fun? It’ll be more fun than being at home watching TV by yourself.” he ruffled Eoghan’s hair.

 

Sighing to himself, Eoghan said, “Okay, I’ll go,” he contemplated for a moment before asking, “will you be there?”

 

Nodding his head, Niall responded with, “Yeah I’ll be there. Only for a bit though, I still have to go to work.”

 

“Okay, as long as you’re there, even if it's for a bit.”

 

“‘Course bud.”

 

Niall spends ten minutes staring into Eoghan’s drawers and closet, wondering if a clip on tie for Eoghan would be too much for a book club meeting. The said seven year old was on his bed reading a book that Miss Evans had assigned for the week. Giving up, Niall settled on a grey shirt with minimal prints and a pair of jeans. Turning to Eoghan, Niall said, “Come on, O, time to get ready. We’ll be leaving soon.”

 

Happily giving up his reading, Eoghan got up from his bed and grabbed the clothes Niall had picked out for him. “Why do I have to change again Papa?” He asked as he started changing, he struggled a bit with taking off his shirt but Niall knew it would be futile to help him out ( _because I’m a big boy now, Papa, I don’t need your help_ ).

 

Shrugging Niall picked himself up and dusted himself off, he hadn’t worn anything special, knowing that he’d be going to work straight from the book club meeting, he was dressed in his uniform black shirt (he’d bought at some clothes store because their boss didn’t care about uniformed shirts) and black jeans.

 

Ignoring Eoghan’s question, Niall grabbed O’s favorite pair of shoes to keep him content and from complaining once again. He helped the seven year old put on his shoes but let him tie his own shoes.

 

They were all dressed and ready by five thirty, much to Niall’s surprise, “Papa, I’m thirsty can I go get something to drink before we leave?” Eoghan asked his Papa as he exited his room. He kicked his football down the hall and sniggered as Niall pretended to have missed the ball when he tried kicking it.

 

“Yeah! Go ahead, just don’t get yourself dirty!”

 

It had been awhile since they both went to some place that required some sense of… _Socializing_. So really, Niall was a bit nervous, although, he tried to remind himself that if these people are anything like Mrs. Martha, there was no need to be nervous.

 

Eoghan returned to the living room where Niall was turning off the TV, with a juice box in hand. Slurping it for a good minute, the seven year old watched his Papa cleanup around the room, picking up stray clothes and toys that had made their ways out of their respective places. After a moment of Eoghan slurping and Niall mindlessly cleaning to keep his nerves at bay, the knocking sound from the front door resonated.

 

“Got it!” Eoghan said as he abandoned his juice box in favor of opening the door. Sighing, Niall picked up the juice box and made a mental note to remind Eoghan to pick up after himself.

 

Making his way to the front door, Niall grabbed both their coats and Eoghan’s bag that was full of some snacks and a book (he had to be prepared). Mrs. Martha was talking to Eoghan cheerfully, “You’ll have so much fun, while I get stuck talking about boring old books.” he laughed at Mrs. Martha expression.

 

Noticing Niall’s arrival, Mrs. Martha clapped her hands and said, “Alrighty, let’s get going!” and grabbed Eoghan’s hand, pulling him out of the apartment.

 

The trip to the building was full of Mrs. Martha and Eoghan’s loud chatter, Niall was next to them with an amused expression on his face. He kept a firm grasp on Eoghan’s hand because the seven year old could not keep still, not even when they were crossing the street.

 

The walk over was quick and refreshing, whilst, Mrs. Martha entertained Eoghan with mindless chatter, Niall calmed himself down from all nerves. By the time they made it to their destination, Niall was calm and mentally prepared for any interaction that could possibly occur.

 

Mrs. Martha leads them inside the building and down the stairs to a room full of people and chairs being occupied. The room was large enough to fit to large tables in them and still have space for a circle of chairs in the center. The kids were sitting by a table full of books and crayons, whilst the other table was full of snacks, of course, and sitting in the center were a group of women. “Come on guys, let’s introduce you to a few people,” Mrs. Martha said, before leading them over to where a group of older women were sat.

 

Beside him, Eoghan let go of Niall’s hand and began to remove his jacket, “It’s getting hot in here Papa.” he said. Niall took his jacket and followed the older woman who was already sat with the rest of the group, she waved them over.

 

“Niall, meet my friends…” Mrs. Martha motioned to each person of the group, listing off names that Niall had, unfortunately, already forgotten.

 

Waving back to the small group, Niall awkwardly mumbled a hello before lightly nudging Eoghan to do the same and dissimilar to his Papa, Eoghan vehemently waved and said, “Hello! My names Eoghan.” just like that, the group of women were putty in his small hands.

 

Cooing at Eoghan’s attitude a few mentioned just how “ _sweet_ ” and “ _a lovely boy_ ” he was. Niall chuckled and agreed, “Yeah. Yeah, he’s a really good kid.” he said fondly, ruffling Eoghan’s already messy hair. He made a mental note to schedule them both for a haircut, because they were in desperate need for new dos.

 

The group continued to flaunt over Eoghan and Mrs. Martha took measure into her own hands, pulling Niall out of his state of fondness she said, “Now I have someone special for you to meet Niall, my grandson has just arrived. Eoghan why don’t you come with, you can meet some really cool kids!” The group of women all groaned as Mrs. Martha led them both away from the group.

 

Still holding onto Niall’s shoulder she said quietly to him, “Eoghan’s going to be a heartbreaker, I tell ya.” chuckling at her comment, Niall pulled at Eoghan’s hand and grinned at him. He was quite proud of his son, even if he was seven years old and barely spelling words correctly.

 

Mrs. Martha led them to where a group of kids, all ranging from different ages, were hanging out.

 

“Eoghan,” Mrs. Martha pointed at the group, “why don’t you introduce yourself. I think you’ll like them a lot.” she said. Niall turned to Eoghan, who without hesitation removed his hand from his Papa’s firm grasp. Any doubts that Eoghan would have a hard time socializing were thrown out the window with the seven year olds’ actions. Eoghan walked up to the group and with a smile introduced himself.

 

Niall watched on for a moment as the kid’s welcomed Eoghan with open arms, a pair of twins took a particular liking to him, asking him if he wanted to paint with them.

 

“A natural socializer,” Mrs. Martha commented, “well now you won’t have to worry.” she added as an afterthought, smirking at Niall who only shook his head in response, he didn’t mind being wrong for once. Niall placed Eoghan’s book bag next to him before softly tapping his leg.

 

Mrs. Martha took him away from the kids and led him towards the table full of snacks that was on the other side of the room. “I’ll introduce you to my grandson,” She said, a grin making its way to her face, and just for a second Niall feared her intentions.

 

Looking at her worriedly, Niall asked, “You’re not trying to set me up or anything, right--”

 

Cut off, Mrs. Martha shushed him before giving him a big push towards the table. Stumbling at his feet, Niall was tripped onto the back of Mrs. Martha nameless grandson. His body collided with a solid back who in turn was shoved into the table of snacks.

 

Grunting, Niall stood back and began to apologize--

 

“Niall?”

 

And there in all his mysterious glory was a grinning Harry Styles.

 

 _Of course_.

 

Of course Mrs. Martha grandson was the tall and handsome Harry Styles.

 

Stepping in just as Niall began to stumble over his words, his cheeks flaming red from bumping into Harry, Martha clapped her hands once and loudly said, “Well look at that! You two already know each other! No need for me to even introduce myself.” she bound over to them and looked at both of them with an evil glint in her eyes.

 

Chuckling at his grandmother, Harry shook his head and said, “You can say that.” never taking his eyes off of Niall, who was still recovering from the shove just moments ago.

 

Mrs. Martha stared at the two quietly for a second before saying, “Aha! Won’t you look at that, Julia is calling me over. Why don’t you two stay and chat for a bit, before the meeting starts of course.” she quickly turned around, clearly intending to ignore any other comments from them.

 

Niall cursed her for, quite literarily, shoving him into an uncomfortable situation.

 

“Well, hello.” Niall said, staring back at the intense green orbs that hadn’t looked anywhere else but at him.

 

“Hi.” He answered back with a goofy smile.

 

“You know,” Harry started, stepping closer to Niall, “We’ve been meeting like this quite a bit, i’m beginning to think you’re stalking me Niall.”

 

Scoffing in return, Niall rolled his eyes and said, “If anyone is stalking, it’s you mister. You’re the one who came to my job and somehow magically turned up at my son’s school. Not to mention you were at the market I shop at. Are you hiding something Styles? Are you stalking him?” Niall questioned him, feigning an American accent.

 

Throwing his head back in shock, Harry laughed out loud, causing a few heads to turn (including a, still, smirking Mrs. Martha who winked at Niall). “You caught me! I was definitely stalking you, finding out which milk type you buy was all part of my plan to get you to notice me.” He said still laughing.

 

“I knew it!” Niall exclaimed, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach that irrupted from hearing Harry’s loud laugh.

 

“Yes, I even convinced that old lady to pretend to be my old grandmother!” He played along, after a moment he added, “On a serious note, we do happen to have a lot in common.”

 

Biting back a smile, Niall said, “What gave that away? Was it the milk cap?”

 

“We drink the same milk type, we’re practically meant to be!” Harry exclaimed, pushing out his hands in front of him for added effect.

 

“It’s a small world.” Niall commented.

 

Smiling at each other, they stayed quiet until Mrs. Martha came barging in, placing her hands on either shoulders, “Well boys, seems like you’re enjoying this chit chat but I must bring it to an end. Niall we’re about to start the meeting and I think you should get going.”

 

Seemingly jostled out of his reverie, Niall pulled his phone from out of his pocket to check the time and just like suspected he was already running late.

 

“Yes, thank you for reminding me. I should go.”

 

About to say his farewells to the both of them, Harry stopped him and asked, “Why don’t I drop you off?” placing his hand around Niall’s arm.

 

Looking at him expectantly, Niall began to shake his head, “No it’s alright, it’s a ways away, wouldn’t want you driving all that way--”

 

Cutting him off Harry said, “It’s okay, I should get going as well. I have a night class to teach and the station is on my way anyways. It wouldn’t be a problem at all.” he reassured him.

 

Mrs. Martha looked at Niall and quietly encouraged him to accept, sighing, Niall nodded and agreed, “Let me just go say goodbye to Eoghan and we could get going.” he said. Harry smiled at him and slowly took his hand away.

 

“Alright, I’ll get my coat and meet you outside.”

 

Niall and Harry part ways, he begins to make his way to where Eoghan is painting with the twin. “Hey bud,” Niall says quietly, getting the attention of Eoghan, “hey, I’m leaving now, but I’ll be back to wake you up tomorrow morning, all right O?”

 

Nodding his head, Eoghan got up from his seat and went to hug Niall, “Goodnight Papa.”

 

Hugging him back, Niall softly said, “‘Night O.”

 

Niall leaves the room after saying his farewell to the rest of the group (Mrs. Martha had winked at him when she said her goodbyes).

 

Reaching the outside, Niall found Harry pacing the front of the building, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, “Sorry for making you wait.” he said, causing Harry to jump a bit.

 

“No need to apologize! Um, my car is parked just around the corner, we can uh… We can just walk there.” Harry said quietly. Gesturing to the corner, they began to walk towards the corner.

 

They stepped alongside each other in peaceful quietness, the only sounds were coming from cars driving nearby. Niall inhaled the fresh air and let himself settle down in his bones.

 

“Hey,” Harry said, interrupting the silence, “Your son, how old is he?” he asked, turning to look at Niall with genuine curiosity.

 

Surprised by the question, Niall answered quickly, “He’s seven, actually, his name is Eoghan.”

 

Harry nodded his head and looked down for a moment before smiling at Niall and saying, “He looks just like you.” his words were muffled by the collar of his jacket, but Niall could hear him loud and clear.

 

Thanking the dim and shabby lights for hiding his blush, Niall cleared his throat before saying, “Thanks…?”

 

“He clearly got his good looks from his father.” Harry commented before coming to a stop in front of a shiny black SUV. “Here it is,” He said, “just hop on.” he added as he unlocked the car.

 

Going to open the door, Harry intercepted him and opened the car door for Niall and cheekily said, “For you my dear _Sir_.”

 

Rolling his eyes Niall quietly thanked him before settling in and letting Harry close the door behind him. After a brief moment, Harry entered the car and put the keys into the ignition, “Heat?” he asked.

 

Shaking his head no, Niall said, “No thanks, the heat will only make me sick.” he couldn’t stand being inside a heated car, feeling the room to be too small.

 

“Okay.” Harry said.

 

They sat there in silence as Harry pulled out of the parking spot.

 

Following a period of silence where Niall focused his gaze towards the window, watching the buildings pass by with quickness and speed that a normal bus drive could not compare to, Harry asked, “So… How do you know my grandmother, Martha I mean?”

 

“We live in the same building… She also takes care of Eoghan sometimes. She’s been very good to us, from the moment we moved in.” Niall responded quietly, eyeing Harry through the corner of his eye.

 

Chuckling in his seat, Harry shook his head and with a tone of fake incredulity said, “‘Martha’ and ‘good’ in the same sentence?! I never thought I’d live to hear that!”

 

“She’s a doll, huh?”

 

The ride to the bus station was much quicker by car than in bus, Niall dutifully noted as he checked his phone for the time. They were about ten minutes from the station and for the first time in awhile, Niall believed he’d make it to work on time.

 

Suppressing a smile, Niall turned to Harry, “So, Harry… You said you had a class to teach, which one?” he asked.

 

Harry, with unmasked surprise, stared at Niall with wide eyes and curled the corner of his lips in a small smile, “You seem in a better mood. Anyways, truthfully, I lied. I don’t have a class right now. Okay. Don’t look at me like that! I knew you wouldn’t have agreed to me dropping you off if I didn’t have to be there… So, I lied.” he said, his smile had quickly turned to a smirk.

 

Glaring at Harry from his seat, Niall crossed his arms, but before he could say something Harry interrupted him, “But hey! Hey! I do have to go back to the university to pick up some work I left, so in a way you’re helping me out. If it weren’t for you I’d probably have to grade all those papers tomorrow morning…. Hmmm… You’re a lifesaver Horan. Think of all that sleep you’re saving me with this trip.” he said cheekily. Taking his eyes off the road for a moment, Harry winked at Niall before throwing his head back in laughter

 

All Niall could do was bite back a smile and pretend he wasn’t totally enjoying the ride.

_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry again for the late update, hope you enjoyed and feedback is always appreciated. x


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, sorry for the long wait I was having trouble writing this, and I'd like to say I finished it but its not my best. there are a few things I didn't want to do that I had to, like making Eoghan's mother more neglectful in regards to Eoghan as well as having Niall being in school again not as important (originally it was going to be an important part to the plot but I decided against it in this chapter). anyways, I hope you do enjoy it. feedback is much appreciated. x
> 
> and as always, all mistakes are my own.

Slumped and strung out, Niall struggles to keep his wandering mind focused at the task at hand; counting the beeps coming from the broken vending machine. Really, he didn’t have much to do at three a.m. in a gas station stuck in the middle of nowhere. So, as to not get bored (he didn’t admit it, but thirty minutes into his shift he’d already started to feel extremely bored) he willed himself to count all the beeps from the vending machine in the corner for the next ten minutes. He didn’t have much to do for a few hours now, after midnight only the occasional scragglers came along. After being dropped off by Harry earlier, Niall had settled into his stool, ushered Vicky out the door, even though she insisted she stayed with him for a few minutes longer, and helped the next few customers. But that was hours ago.

 

Two minutes in and 100 beeps later, Niall gave up his task. Sighing he looked around the gas station looking for something to do, possibly restocking some products or a dusty spot in a corner that must be broomed right away. He came empty handed. Working these shifts were the worst, he hated them, not many people drove by at three a.m. to get gas and those who did, were rowdy crowds a little too drunk to be in public. But he wasn’t going to start complaining now, there was one thing his boss hated and that was complainers.

 

Turning around in his stool, he looked at the dark screen of his phone which he had placed on the counter after he bid Eoghan a good night sleep and promised to be there when he woke up eight hours ago (“Papa I had so much fun with those kids, Michael and Alaia even invited me to their house next week!”). After staring at the dark screen for a bit too long, the screen brightened and covering Eoghan’s eyes was a white message notification. Squinting a bit and leaning towards it, he didn’t feel the need to pick up the phone, Niall noticed Mary’s name in black.

 

 _Sorry I didn’t call tnite…_ , she texted.

 

He was surprised, after Mary had gotten a proper job and all, she was in bed at a reasonable time and cut off any communication till the next morning, but here she was texting Niall at three eighteen.

 

He wasn’t really surprised by the text messages though, Mary always forgot to call on the day she had promised she would, usually she’d shoot him a text about a week later apologizing. Again, there was nothing shocking by the text, albeit he was a bit relieved over the fact that Eoghan had clearly forgotten his mother was supposed to call him, it saved him the extra tears and blubbery statements.

 

Scoffing to himself, Niall angrily grabbed at his phone and tapped the notification; _mary ur shite at this callin bck thing ,, nxt time don’t promise u’ll call . ._

 

Just after sending it, the grey bubble and three dots immediately appeared, mentally preparing himself for a resentful conversation over text. They hadn’t always been like this, the constant arguing that occurred every time they talked (read: rarely) was a new development.

 

I _t’s nt my fault, nail l i, smthin cme up._

 

This was really getting tiring, Niall thought to himself. Something always came up with Mary, something always stopped her from calling back, something always stopped her from visiting Eoghan the few times she was supposed to. Something always got in the way of her actually being around her son.

 

The irritation that he’d originally felt before Harry had come in, came back in a wave. He felt childish punching in letters onto the screen, the irritation soon developed into anger and Niall couldn’t do much but tap harder on the screen.

 

_smthing alwys comes up???_

 

The three grey dots appeared again, but not waiting for her response he typed quickly a ‘ _i dnt wnt t do tis rght nw mary,, this is not a convo we shld be hving rght nw.’_

 

The three grey dots appeared, waving around in their grey bubbled mocking Niall with his ignorance of her next text, but after a minute, the grey bubble disappeared.

 

“Fecking pathetic,” Niall scoffed, placing the phone down on the counter and crossing his arms over his chest he continued in irritation speaking to no one, “Always ends the conversation when it’s getting _good._ ” shaking his head Niall bitterly laughed.

 

He was getting tired of this, the never-ending fights that they had, the stupid awkwardness that arose every time they spoke if they weren’t fighting, Mary’s _fucking_ lack of trying to meet up Eoghan. He was tired of her excuses… But he get’s it, what more takes your time and steals it from under your grasp then a child--

 

But Eoghan is Mary’s son, her _firstborn,_ and it may not be with Jonah but Eoghan still matters--

 

Niall’s bitter thoughts were cut off by the sharp rings of his phone, the screen lit up and Mary’s name popped up in white block letters just over the green and red buttons.

 

Fighting any urge to _not_ pick up, he answered the call, “So you can find the shitting time to call me but you can’t even keep a promise to Eoghan? What the fuck do you want now Mary?” he spat out angrily. The last thing he wanted to do now was talk to her, especially when he could feel the impending headache starting its banging right at his left temple.

 

“ _Don’t fucking talk to me like that._ ” Mary breathed in sharply.

 

“Pardon, did my tone offend you? Did me reminding you that you have another son… _Annoy_ _you_?” Niall said through the phone.

 

“Just because I missed one phone call? Look Niall, I had a busy day and I don’t need your crap right now--”

 

Interrupting her, Niall said, “You can’t make time for him? You talk to him twice a month, you seem him even less, and you live an hour away. You can’t spare a single second in your _busy_ schedule to see Eoghan? What the fuck is wrong with you, Eoghan’s your fucking son too.”

 

“Why should _I_ be the one having to go to you guys?! Why don’t you put some effort and bring him _here--_ ”

 

Chuckling mockingly, Niall rolls his eyes and with hostile quietness he says, “You sound like a fucking cunt--”

 

Before Niall could finish getting his sentence the bell over the door rang with the entrance of a ruffled Harry, who immediately stopped smiling when he saw the grim expression on Niall’s face.

 

Interrupting Mary’s angry shouts, calmly Niall said, “Call me when you get your fucking priorities straight, Mary.” and hung up.

 

“I… Pardon… Do you need something Harry?” Niall asked him, trying to calm down the rapid beating heart.

 

Clearing his throat, Harry stayed in his spot by the door, with embarrassment he says, “I… I’m really sorry, I didn’t realize you were…? I can- I can leave if you want me--”

 

Quickly interrupting him, Niall rushingly sat up from his seat, “No! I mean it’s okay… Uhh, nothing’s happening. I just… Do you n-need something?” he asked again.

 

Breathing out in relief Harry began making his way closer to the counter where Niall was stood, only taking a pause in front of the coffee maker. “Um, truthfully I came to… To get coffee. I just. I was driving home from the… From grading papers when I saw, um, that you were still here so I decided to drop by.”

 

Briefly glancing at Niall, Harry turned to the coffee machine and said, “I’m… I’m gonna get coffee.”

 

After an abrupt pause Niall asked, “You were grading papers at three in the morning?”

 

Even turned away from him, Niall could see Harry’s cheeks heating up.

 

“I- I may have fallen asleep and woken up a bit ago…”

 

Not able to control himself, Niall burst out laughing.

 

“It’s not funny!” Harry exclaimed.

 

Harry’s on his way out of the petrol station in a bit, coffee in hand and plenty of fatigue to carry him all the way home. Whilst Niall’s left inside of the small store, only accompanied by the humming of the refrigerators and the constant beeping of the vending machine.

 

Sighing, Niall slouched in his chair and began to count the beeps from the machine once again.

 

_One… Two… ThreeFourFive…  Six… Seven…_

  
  


Six a.m. came barrelling after his conversation with Mary. Stewing in his anger for the next two hours and a half, by the time six am hit, Niall was ready to head home and be with his son. Even if it would be for a bit. In the meantime, Niall gathered his stuff from the back where it was placed, and dropped it by the legs of the stool so at the moment Vicky passed through the door he’d be out in a jiffy.

 

More customers presented themselves around this time, most were just buying snacks or coffee because the stinking petroleum was enough to ward them off from refilling their tanks in this station. With newfound energy Niall rung up their orders and helped the next customer, trying to get them sorted out in less than a minute. Of course he understood that speeding up wouldn’t do much because he wasn’t allowed to leave the station without Vicky being there. As luck would have it, Niall was stuck manning the register for longer than he wanted, Vicky was once again running late.

 

After ringing up the last customer, Niall started tapping his fingers impatiently on the countertop, eyes flickering back and forth from the clock on the wall to the dark screen of his telephone.

 

“I’m here darling! I’m here!” Vicky said as she made her way through the door, the bell chiming after her arrival.

 

Resisting the urge to rush out of the room, Niall waited until Vicky made her way to the register, she walked slow but with purpose and a smile graced her face. “I’m sure you’re just dying to leave, love. Why don’t you head on out there.” She said kindly, waving to the direction of the door.

 

Any other time Niall would’ve insisted to stay for a few minutes until Vicky settled into her place, but today he was crawling out of his skin to get far from this place. He was ready to head home and get back to his bed… His _son._ Niall grabbed his bag and tapped Vicky’s frail left shoulder on his way out. He threw a “thank you!” behind his shoulder before making his way out to the bus stop where he would wait for a while for the bus to appear.

 

Once it did, Niall thanked up above for all the empty seats inside.

 

Getting back home was a blur, from exiting the bus to walking back home all faded away into the background because all he could think about was the conversation he had with Mary. Mary, the mother of his son, the woman he learned to love so dearly as a friend, the only woman who understood what Niall had felt and experienced with the birth of Eoghan… When had they gotten so distant from each other?

 

Thinking back, Niall couldn’t pinpoint a specific date or time, couldn’t remember when she stopped calling, when she started visiting less, it all happened so subtly he couldn’t remember it.

 

But it had happened and now they’re stuck in a loop of arguments that always went the same way and resulted in the sames ways. They wouldn’t talk for a few weeks, and then Mary would call again, and somehow they’d end up arguing about something.

 

They always do.

 

Dismissing his thoughts as he arrived at the complex, Niall was greeted with the sight of a tired looking Mrs. Martha waiting beside the front door of his flat, her arms were crossed on her chest once again, “You’ve got a very chatty boy, Niall.” was all she said before patting his arm and walking towards her own apartment.

 

He shook his head and scoffed, _didn’t he know it._

 

When he entered his apartment, all Niall did was drop his bag and coat on the knob of the door and trudged towards the kitchen to prepare himself some tea.

 

There was no point in going for a nap when in a few minutes he’d have to get Eoghan up and ready for school.

 

He could feel the weight of sleepless nights slam down on his shoulders. All he wanted to do right now was cuddle up in his bed and sleep for long.

 

But he wouldn’t. He _couldn’t._

 

The sound of the shrilling kettle woke him from his trance, he took a travel mug from inside the peeling cupboard and prepared himself some tea. “Here goes nothing.” He said to himself.

 

Eoghan was good to him this morning, seeing his Papa looking worn down was enough indication that this morning was not for playing around. He got up from bed without a fuss, getting up and ready without needing his Papa to tell him twice and even whilst he struggled to tie his shoe, he powered through it because he didn’t want Papa to be any more tired than _he already was._

 

Eoghan settled himself up on the chair at the table and placed his hands on the top, “Papa can I have cereal today?” he asked, knowing that cereal was something easy to make and wouldn’t cause Papa any worry or trouble. He smiled up at his Papa who turned to him with a look of surprise and bewilderment when he said what he wanted.

 

Squinting his eyes, Niall asked the seven year old, “You sure you want that bud? I know you like eggs on toast better.” he could already tell what Eoghan was trying to do-- and that broke his heart.

 

Niall put the travel mug down and walked towards Eoghan, placing his arms around his son he said, “Buddy you don’t have to worry about me. If you want eggs on toast I’ll make it for you… I’m find O, just a bit tired, but that’s not something you have to worry about, okay?” he rubbed his hands over Eoghan back and closed his eyes.

 

This wasn’t what he wanted. He never wanted Eoghan, his seven year old, to worry about him. That’s why he always tried to put a front. To avoid something like this! A seven year old shouldn’t be worrying about his parent’s, not like this, not _ever._

 

Feeling tears well up in his already bloodshot eyes, Niall blinked repetitively willing the tears away. “Baby don’t you ever worry about me.” he said hoarsely.

 

Niall crouched down to Eoghan’s stature and pressed his lips on his forehead.

 

“Okay Papa.” Eoghan said quietly.

 

The rest of the morning went without a hitch (and Eoghan had his eggs on toast).

 

_

 

Niall didn’t let himself fawn over this morning, knowing that if started thinking about this morning he’d never stop, and he didn’t want to beat himself up today. He wasn’t in the _mood_ for self-pity and wallowing. Instead, he dropped Eoghan off with a brief hug and a promise that they’d go out for ice cream in the afternoon (“promise we’ll have ice cream?” Eoghan had asked. “I _pinky_ promise.” Niall responded and then hooked their pinkies together), his son deserved it anyways.

 

On the way up the stairs, Niall would take pauses to scroll through his phone, checking if any of his professors had put up the grades for his final exams. This was his last year and all he was taking was three classes, the only thing he needed now was to pass them and he’d _finally_ be finished with school.

 

_And maybe I’ll be able to get a better job._

 

Niall stopped once again on the bottom of the steps of the third floor, balancing the empty travel mug under his armpits he unlocked his phone once again with shaky hands to reload the empty page. For a second Niall cursed his stupid mobile for being so slow when finally the page appeared.

 

“Oh sweet Jesus.” Niall whispered to himself.

 

There, on the page, was his first final grade.

 

An _A-_

 

“What’cha looking at?” Niall was pulled out of his excitement when he felt someone tap on his shoulder. Slightly jumping in fright, he turned to the incoming stranger.

 

Not a stranger at all, because there stood Harry again with his hands behind his back and a pearly white-smile.

 

“Jesus you scared me Harry!” Niall exclaimed.

 

Harry threw his head back in laughter, “You could’ve given me a heart-attack.” Niall said, biting back a smile.

 

In the midst of his laughter, Harry managed to spit out a, “Sorry! You were just so focused on your phone!” it took him a while to calm down, but once he did, Harry cleared his throat and tried to keep himself from laughing again once he saw Niall’s unamused expression.

 

He cleared his throat again and said, “Uh… Hello and good morning.” with a bright smile.

 

Niall rolled his eyes and cracked a small smile, “Good morning to you too. What is it you’re doing here again?”

 

“I am here to visit my grandmother, actually, for tea.” Harry said, and a second later added, “Would you like to come with? I’m sure my grandmother would love to see you again.” pointing to the top of the stairs.

 

Shaking his head, Niall said, “Thanks but I’m just going to go home and get some rest… It’s uh.. It’s been a long night.”

 

“Very well then,” Harry said, “I’ll just accompany you up the stairs.”

 

As they both walked up the cramped set of stairs in silence, Niall tried to walk up without constantly bumping into Harry. There’s only so much space at the staircase with two grown men walking side-by-side.

 

Once they made it up to the sixth floor, Niall slowed his walk as they approached his apartment door.

 

“I guess I’ll see you later then.” Niall said.

 

Harry nodded his head and waited until the blond man had unlocked his door (not after struggling for a few seconds) before saying, “Wait! Um… Actually I was wondering if I could, um, get your number… You know… Since, uh… You seem like a good guy and… Um--”

 

Hearing Harry stumble his way through an explanation, Niall spared him and held out his hand, “I… I’ll put my number in your phone.”

 

Surprised at the comment, Harry fumbled to get his phone out. Unlocking it haphazardly and then placed it on Niall’s awaiting hand.

 

With the phone in hand Niall typed in his number quickly and then returned it back to him, “Have a good day Harry.” he said before walking into his apartment and leaving Harry outside with a content smile slowly crawling onto an expression

 

Niall could feel the jitters working their way through his body, his hands shook as he turned the knob and his tummy fluttered with nerves that he hadn’t felt since he fancied his first ever girlfriend. Trying to ignore the feeling of excitement making its way present, he bit down on his lip to stop the smile and shook his head.

 

He’d only given his number to Harry, _that’s it, nothing really to get excited about for God’s sake Niall_ , he thought to himself. Ridding his thoughts of Harry Niall gazed around the room and grunted in displeasure. The sight of his flat looking dirty and cluttered all at once reminded him of how long it’s been since he _properly_ cleaned the house instead of just shoving things under the table and into the closet.

 

The floor was covered in random socks with no same pair next to it and toys that Eoghan loved to pick up and later put down on the same place he found them.

 

Walking down the hall, he pushed the toys Eoghan had neglected to put away and went into his room to get the cleaning supplies out.

 

He had a _long day_ ahead.

 

_

 

By the time mid-day approached, Niall had managed to clean up the living room and kitchen, leaving spotless floors and counters, as well as organized shelves and toys out of sight. He was feeling much better with having accomplished most of the cleaning before having to go pick up Eoghan.

 

Niall was about to get started on cleaning the bathroom, something he was not looking forward to, when the silence of the room was cut by the sound of Niall’s shrill ringtone, his mobile shook violently inside of his pocket.. (He was really getting annoyed by the ringtone)

 

“Hello?” He said whilst walking into the bathroom. He had about an hour before he needed to _leave_ the apartment to get to the bus stop in time to go _pickup_ Eoghan, and he’d at least like to get the bathroom done before picking his son up.

 

“ _Oh good, you picked up. Hello Niall!”_ And on the other side was his _lovely_ father, Bobby.

 

“Hey, Da, what’s up? Wasn’t expecting to hear from you today.” Niall said as he started to scrub the toilet.

 

“ _I was thinking earlier about you and realized it’s been awhile since we’ve chatted, let alone seen each other. How’ve you been, huh? What about Eoghan? Is he there with you?”_

 

“We’ve been great Da. Eoghan’s in school right now and I’m just getting some cleaning done but I’m leaving soon to pick him up. He’s been well, he was a bit under the weather earlier this week but he’s much better now. How’ve you been Da?”

 

After scrubbing the toilet, Niall stood up from his knees and moved on to the next task. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but the scent of cleaning supplies was kind of nice.

 

“ _Oh I’m doing well. I saw Greg and Theo a few days ago, he’s growing up so fast you know? Oh Niall, son, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen you and Eoghan. When can you come over? Maura mentioned that he hasn’t seen you either._ ” His voice grew faint and began to sound upset.

 

Niall stopped what he was doing and looked down at his socked feet. It _had_ been a long time since he’s seen his parents. He hated when his mother mentioned how long it’s been, it always served to remind him that he would never be able to afford taking the time off to visit his family, or even go on a holiday.

 

Missing work for more than a day was not something Niall was looking to do. Every pay meant stability for the two of them.

 

And of course he wanted to see his parent’s, _of course_ he wanted to see his nephew again, Niall had always been a family man and it killed him to be so far away from them (even though the last time he’d seen them Maura had all but boasted on Greg’s _“incredible”_ life choices of waiting to get married to have a kid, but that was besides the point). But he _couldn’t,_ not now, not when he was barely surviving paying all the bills on time.

 

Softly Niall said, “Da… You know I’d like to go, but… I can’t now. I’m too busy now, a lot is going on in our lives and… You know I’d love to see you guys again.”

 

Bobby sighed through the other end and said, “ _I know Nialler._ ”

 

Feeling the weight of Bobby’s words guilt him down, Niall sat on the edge of the tub, and said, “I’m sorry Da.”

 

“ _No worries, son. I know how it is. You know… I- I just… Miss you both, that’s all. But don’t worry. Christmas is coming up, maybe I’ll be able to pay you guys a visit, huh?_ ” Bobby said, ever the optimist.

 

Niall nodded his head, “Yeah.” although he wouldn’t be surprised if his father didn’t come to visit, the old man could barely stand to miss a day of work.

 

After a pause Bobby added, “ _Well, I’ll leave you to the cleaning. Tell Eoghan I said hi._ ”

 

“Sure will Pa. Talk to you later.” He said before clicking off.

 

And he was left to wallow and stew in silence, on his lonesome.

 

It was time to pick Eoghan up.

**Author's Note:**

> i don’t know where i’m going with this, but, hey at least i wrote something. feedback is always appreciated. hope you enjoyed. x


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